34§ BELIEF IN GHOSTS. 



breaks in the heavy gusts of wind, hear sufficient to 

 know that he was praying. 



" The exit and entrance to this " poort" are as 

 gruesome and uncanny-looking as any I know, the 

 sides being a hundred feet or more in perpendicular 

 height, while immense boulders hang, apparently, 

 so insecure that the slightest vibration must of 

 necessity detach them. Once this "kloof" is entered, 

 there is no exit possible for a human being except 

 at the far end. Knowing this, I pushed on my good 

 horse, Dopper, to overtake the travellers, but, strange 

 as it may seem, for the first time in his life, he gave 

 evidence of being an unwilling servant. True, he 

 had an almost blinding torrent of rain in his face, and 

 the wind was so strong that it was difficult to stem, 

 while lightning descended in incessant streams, and 

 thunder belched forth in deafening cannonade, but, 

 in spite of all these adverse circumstances, Dopper's 

 duty was to obey, and with no gentle spur I let him 

 know that I was master. 



"My horse is swift ; still, I did not overtake the 

 bullocks and their attendants. ' Mysterious,' I 

 thought to myself, and again pushed my mount to 

 his best pace. He seemed neither to gain nor lose 

 distance. 



"A strange feeling came over me; at once I 

 comprehended its meaning : ' I was, against my will, 

 becoming a convert to a belief in the supernatural 

 world!' But against this I fought, so made one 



