CHAP. III. ELAND. 155 



up so as to form a bag, into which a small air-cushion for use 

 as a pillow, all the articles necessary for the toilet, a change 

 of clothes, and a spare pair of shoes, were stuffed. The next 

 and most important, as well as the heaviest article, was a 

 waterproof blanket of Cording's, eight feet long by four feet 

 wide, with four strong eyelet holes fitted with strings for 

 pegs on each side, which, in packing, was spread over the 

 mats. I found it a most useful thing, savmg me jfrom the 

 effects of the damp ground, which one is equally subject 

 to whether sleeping out or in native huts, while, when I 

 happened to be camping out in the rain, with no other 

 shelter available, I could turn it into a tent (by the help 

 of a couple of forked sticks and a pole), which, with a little 

 management, would keep me tolerably dry. On the top 

 of this I placed a pair of sheets of the finest material 

 consistent with strength, as it was often too hot to bear 

 anything more over one, and a woollen blanket, of which 

 I felt the need on raw, wet days, and even on fine ones 

 diu-ing the half-hour which precedes dawn, completed the 

 load. 



This bed, while very portable, was also very comfort- 

 able, and nearly as soft as the mattress used by the 

 young man of the present day. Between me and the 

 ground were two soft mats, a thick waterproof blanket, 

 and a sheet, rendering it almost unnecessary to level the 

 inequahties with an armful of grass, as the mat-bearer, 

 who, when there is only one, acts as cook and housemaid, 

 generally does. 



Next morning we resumed our march, skirting along 

 the deep, still, reed-encu-cled pools of the Umsundusi, — a 

 favourite resort of crocodiles, and seeing many water-ante- 



