LIONS. 55 



was pitched on a game-covered plain in the (now) 

 Orange Free State, not far from Kaffir River. 

 A nice pool of rainwater was close at hand ; and, 

 at some few hundred yards off, a low rocky ridge 

 clotted with thorn clumps here and there bounded 

 the view to the north. Hundreds of black gnus 

 were capering about in all directions ; long columns 

 of blesbucks occasionally swept by in orderly 

 array ; quaggas in smaller troops were busily 

 cropping the dewy grass of the early morning ; and 

 thousands of springbucks varied the ever shifting 

 scene of animal life visible from the camp. It is 

 safe to say that no future traveller will ever view 

 the like, as not only was the vast plain beautifully 

 green in consequence of late heavy rains, but not 

 a tree or a bush intervened to obstruct the sight of 

 the animated panorama till the eye was fatigued 

 by peering into the distance. 



The time I allude to was the month of May, 

 1853, and a young Englishman, who was a 

 taxidermist in my employ, and myself were sitting 

 by the fire enjoying an early cup of coffee and 

 a chat, when the cackling of a large troop of guinea- 

 fowl from the stony ridge attracted our attention, 

 and promised a welcome change of diet, everybody 



