256 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



their numbers have been actually reinforced from the 

 ranks of their domesticated brethren. A year or two 

 back (1886-7) farmers became so utterly sick and 

 disgusted at the fall of prices and the depreciation 

 of their stock, that, rather than bear the expense 

 and trouble of keeping useless and unremunerative 

 encumbrances, they turned loose their birds upon 

 their native karroos, where no doubt they will thrive 

 and perpetuate themselves, and possibly impart to 

 their wild congenitors new methods and increased 

 store of artfulness already possessed in plenty. It 

 may be noted that " tame " feathers never equal 

 the best of the produce of the wilderness; " Prime 

 bloods," as the first quality of wild feathers are 

 called, realising half as much again per pound as the 

 best of domestic pluckings. The highest value in 

 the export of feathers was reached in 1882, when 

 253,954 Ibs. weight valued at 1,093,989 were 

 exported; in 1885, the figures had fallen to 251,084 

 Ibs., valued at but 585,278 a terrible depreciation 

 in value. 



But now having done our duty by the ostriches, 

 we are ready for the horses, which in the meantime 

 have been saddled up and brought out to us by a 

 couple of Kaffir boys. We are quickly mounted, 

 and proceed to ride off to the slopes of Witteberg 

 to have a look at some of the stock horses and 

 horned cattle running there. 



For part of the distance we ride across perfectly 

 flat karroo, and our host tells us something about 

 the nature of the herbage growing around. Just now 

 we are nearing the end of a long droughty season ; 

 the early summer rains, so anxiously expected, have 

 not arrived, and the far-stretching plains look too 



