II THREE OSTRICHES SEEN 27 



vast extent of country. Suddenly, whilst gazing 

 ruefully over this wilderness of forest, I fancied I 

 recognised a certain detached "kopje" as one with 

 which I was well acquainted, close to Shakani " vleys," 

 as well as a low range of hills on the other side, and 

 one or two other detached hills. After carefully 

 comparing their relative positions, I felt certain ot 

 their identity, and that if I could only manage to 

 hold out till I reached them I was saved ; but, as 

 they seemed a long way off, and only loomed blue in 

 the distance, no time was to be lost, so I at once 

 descended from the hill, and started. When on the 

 plain I could see nothing of the hills I was making 

 for, and in order to keep my line I had, from time 

 to time, to climb trees — a most difficult undertaking 

 in my exhausted condition. So eager was I to get 

 forward, that, when forced sometimes to rest through 

 sheer weakness, I could not sit still for more than two 

 or three minutes at a time, as something seemed to 

 impel me to get up and push on again. During this 

 day I saw three ostriches, two hens and a cock. At 

 last, just before sundown, I got close to the kopjes 

 of Shakani, and was making for the water, distant 

 about half a mile, when I saw two Kafirs, no doubt 

 returning from hunting. This was lucky, as, although 

 I knew there were a fc\Y Bushmen herding some 

 goats here, I might not have been able to find the 

 two or three miserable huts where they lived (for the 

 bush was rather thick round about), and should thus 

 only have allayed my intense thirst, and once more 

 gone supperless to a cold bed, which might have 

 finished me. Calling to the Kafirs as well as my 

 parched throat would allow, and giving one my rifle 

 to carry, I followed them to their kraal (if three half 

 huts, made of interwoven boughs, can be called one). 



