HUNTING THE BUFFALO. 261 



peaceful denzien of ihe forests and open glades along the fail 

 banks of the secluded Mariqua. 



During our march on the 19th we had to cross a range of very 

 rocky hills, covered with large loose stones, and all hands were 

 required to be actively employed for about an hour in clearing 

 them out of the way to permit the wagons to pass. The work 

 went on fast and furious, and the quantity of stones cleared 

 was immense. At length we reached the spot where we were 

 obliged to bid adieu to the Mariqua, and hold a westerly course 

 across the country for Sicheley. At sundown we halted under a 

 io/ty mountain, the highest in the district, called "Lynche a 

 Cheny," or the Monkey's Mountain. 



Next day, at an early hour, I rode out with Ruyter to hunt, my 

 camp being entirely without flesh, and we having been rationed 

 upon very tough old rhinoceros for several days past. It was a 

 cloudy morning, and soon after starting it came on to rain heavily. 

 1, however, held on, skirting a fine, well- wooded range of moun- 

 tains, and after riding several miles t shot a zebra. Having covered 

 the carcass well over with branches to protect it from the vultures, 

 I returned to camp, and inspanning my wagons, took it up on 

 the march. We continued trekking on until sundown, when we 

 started an immense herd of buffaloes, into which I stalked and shot 

 a huge old bull. 



Our march this evening was through the most beautiful country I 

 had ever seen in Africa. We skirted an endless range of well- wooded 

 stony mountains lying on our left, while to our right the country 

 at first sloped gently off, and then stretched away into a level 

 green forest (-occasionally interspersed with open glades), boundless 

 as the ocean. This green forest was, however, relieved in one 

 direction by a chain of excessively bold, detached, well-wooded, 

 rocky, pyramidal mountains, which stood forth in grand relief. In 

 advance the picture was bounded by forest and mountain ; one bold 

 acclivity, in shape of a dome, standing prominent among its fellows 

 It was a lovely evening : the sky overcast and gloomy, threw an 

 'ntcresting, wild, mysterious coloring over the landscape. I gazed 

 forth upon the romantic scene before me with intense delight, and 



