IN THE LION COUNTRY. 619 



Rocky Mountains, West Indies, and Malay Archipelago, but never 

 have I witnessed them so terrific as in the interior of South Africa ; 

 certain am I that in no other part of the world are they so dangerous. 

 And the whole animal creation seems to be well aware of this ; for 

 whether it be the Caffre or the ox, the elephant or the giraffe, all 

 equally appear to dread the tempest's violence, and become for the 

 time being so prostrated with fear as to remain awe-stricken on the 

 spot where they have been overtaken, without one thought of seeking 

 shelter. Having upward of a couple of hundred-weight of gunpowder 

 in my wagon, to have it struck by the electric fluid would have been 

 certain destruction to all my belongings, so I took the only precaution 

 in my power, viz., to unfasten the chain, trek-tow, from the dissel- 

 boom, so that that important portion of my gear should not act as a 

 conductor to the inflammable part of my load. In proportion to the 

 violence of these hurricanes, so short is their duration ; thus in an 

 hour the storm had passed to leeward, and naught remained to indicate 

 its visit, save an occasional distant flash of lightning and the muttered 

 deep intonation of the retreating thunder. Soon the cattle were again 

 made fast to the wagon, and with hurried steps we pursued the remain- 

 der of our journey. No doubt we rejoiced that the storm had passed ; 

 but, if I and my Caffres did so, every creature imbued with life ap- 

 peared to do likewise. Thus the francolins and korans, which had 

 formerly been silent, now piped and chattered from every ant-heap ; 

 while the gorgeous bee-eaters, sugar-birds, brilliant orioles and socia- 

 ble grossbeaks disported themselves in every direction. Even the grass- 

 hoppers and lizards had found a voice, and with it seemed to thank 

 the Creator of the Universe that the danger had now passed. Of 

 course, after the rain the trek was heavy, but fat and young bullocks, 

 with a light load behind them, soon traversed the intermediate space 

 to our new camping-ground. 



In a well-organized hunting expedition every member of it has his 

 allotted task to perform ; thus some are employed in cutting thorn- 

 bushes to make the cattle-kraal, while others gather fuel for the night- 

 fires, or assist the cook in preparing the evening meal. Where we had 

 halted timber was not abundant, and what we obtained there was so 

 saturated with the late rain that it was not without considerable diffi- 

 culty a fire could be made from it. As the sky had become clear and 

 bright, master as well as man anticipated a dry night ; but, as the sun 

 went down, dark opaque clouds commenced rising to the eastward, 

 which gradually shut up the face of the heavens, causing the sur- 

 roundings to be involved in inky darkness. The wind now began to 

 rise in oft-repeated fitful gusts, driving with it sheets of penetrating 

 rain that made even the interior of my wagon far from comfortable. 

 It might have been eight o'clock or thereabout when my Bechuana 

 hunter reported to me that the bullocks were exceedingly uneasy in 

 their kraal, adding further, " Baas ! there are lions about, and, as the 



