388 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



scene. We saw here very little game. Across 

 the way lay another range of low mountains 

 clothed darkly with dull green, like the chaparral- 

 covered coast ranges of California. In one place 

 was a gunsight pass through which we could see 

 other distant blue mountains. We crossed the 

 arid plain and toiled up through the notch pass. 



The latter made very difficult footing indeed, 

 for the entire surface of the ground was covered 

 with smooth, slippery boulders and rocks of iron 

 and quartz. What had so smoothed them I do 

 not know, for they seemed to be ill-placed for 

 water erosion. The boys with their packs atop 

 found this hard going, and we ourselves slipped 

 and slid and bumped in spite of our caution. 



Once through the pass we found ourselves 

 overlooking a wide prospect of undulating thorn 

 scrub from which rose occasional bushy hills, 

 solitary buttes, and bold cliffs. It was a thick- 

 looking country to make a way through. 



Nevertheless somewhere here dwelt the Kudu, 

 so in we plunged. The rest of the day and of 

 days to follow we spent in picking a way 

 through the thorn scrub and over loose rocks 

 and shifting stones. A stream bed contained an 

 occasional water hole. Tall aloes were ablaze 

 with red flowers. The country looked arid, the 



