BOER MARKSMANSHIP. 247 



For instance, just before reaching the edge of 

 the " fly " district, some of the wild Kaffirs known 

 to hunters as " Vaalpense " reported the arrival in 

 the infested country of an unusually numerous herd 

 of buffalo, which they thought had migrated from 

 distant lands unknown to hunters with firearms, 

 as they appeared very tame, and had located them- 

 selves in sparse bush, which is quite exceptional 

 with the habits of these animals when they have 

 once smelt powder. 



Naturally the marvellous accounts these people 

 gave us of the incredible numbers of the herds 

 were received with numerous " grains of salt," but 

 having completed camping arrangements, and 

 arranged for the portage of the necessary 

 impedimenta, we were soon tramping for the 

 indicated locality, accompanied by a large gang of 

 Kaffirs, with their wives and such of their children 

 as were big enough to stand the fatigue of a long 

 day's waterless march with impunity ; and having 

 started at dawn, we duly arrived at the indicated 

 locality soon after dark, and were glad, after coffee 

 and a scanty meal, to curl up in the best shelter 

 available, without troubling to make the usual 

 shelters (skerms), and soon were in the land of 

 Nod amid the blazing fires of the bivouac. 



