28 



THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



carefully taken off, whilst the flesh was divided, so 

 as to be more easily carried. Jungle sheep, or, 

 more properly speaking, the muhtjak, are of a 

 reddish-brown colour, rather darker on the back 

 and face, and lighter under the belly and the inside 

 of the legs. Their great peculiarity is a curious bony 

 substance about three inches long, covered with 

 skin, growing out of the skull, to which the horns 

 are attached. These latter are about six inches in 

 length, with one tine near the root, and the point 

 rather bent forward. They are generally found in 

 pairs, and their flesh, which is very dark in colour, 

 is excellent eating, being delicate, fine grained, 

 and partaking something of the flavour of the 

 hare. 



Towards noon we came upon a small river that 

 rises in the hills and winds through the celebrated 

 Orange Valley, from whence it descends the steep 

 mountain-side in a series of cascades, and gliding 

 through almost impenetrable forest finally falls into 

 the Mooyaar. Here I made a halt, sending the 

 gang up the stream to look out for tracks, and 

 whilst they were away I sat down to rest in the 



