II HUNGER, THIRSr, AND COLD 25 



my horse during the day, he had not eaten a morsel 

 of grass, being too thirsty, poor beast ; so, instead of 

 tying him up to a tree, I hobbled him, thinking he 

 might graze a bit in the cool of the night, and 

 thereby gain a little strength to carry me on the 

 morrow. It was full moon, and fearfully cold, from 

 which, in addition to hunger and thirst, I suffered 

 intensely, almost shivering myself to pieces ; but 

 everything has an end in this world, and so had this, 

 tor me, most intolerably long winter's night. 



At the first streak ot dawn I endeavoured to rise, 

 but could not stand up, my legs being utterly 

 benumbed with the cold ; at last, however, I got the 

 circulation restored, and began to look about me 

 for my horse. But nowhere was he to be seen ; and 

 I found by looking at the spoor that he had made 

 off during the night (though fast hobbled) in search 

 of water. The ground being rather hard, and the 

 spoor (to my inexperienced eyes) difficult to make out, 

 I soon came to the conclusion that it was useless to 

 follow him, and so returned to where I had passed the 

 night. I now considered what was best to be done. 

 Far away in a south-westerly direction I could see a 

 large high range of hills, which I thought might be 

 the Bamangwato range, and thither, not knowing 

 what else to do, I determined to direct my steps ; 

 so, hanging my saddle in a tree, and shouldering 

 my rifle, off I started. As it was now forty-eight 

 hours since a morsel of food or a drop of water had 

 passed my lips, I felt, as may be imagined, quite 

 ready for breakfast ; but breakfast not being ready 

 for me, I had to go without it. All that day I 

 walked as I have seldom walked since, only resting 

 at long intervals for a few minutes at a time, devoured 

 by a burning thirst, and growing sensibly weaker 



