JOURNEY RESUMED. 51 



tance of upward of a mile, through the open glades ad- 

 joining the Limpopo, he led me to an unusually vast 

 crocodile, who was lying with his entire body conceal- 

 ed, nothing but his horrid head being visible above the 

 surface of the water, his eyes anxiously watching the 

 movements of eight or ten large bull buffaloes, which, 

 in seeking to quench their thirst in the waters of the 

 river, were crackling through the dry reeds as they 

 cautiously waded in the deep mud that a recent flood 

 had deposited along the edge. Fortunately for the buf- 

 faloes, the depth of the mud prevented their reaching 

 the stream, and thus the scaly monster of the river was 

 disappointed of his prey. 



CHAPTER ni. 



Fearful Descent of De Bruin's Poort — District lately deserted by Ele 

 phauts — Noble Forest-trees — The Great Fish River — Cunning Boera 

 — Burning Effects of the Sun — The Dutch Noe's Green Tea Oint- 

 ment — Skill of the Hottentots in '"Tapping the Admiral" — Beauti- 

 fully wooded Country — The Village of Cradock — South African Cli- 

 mate — Countless Herds of Springbok — Mynheer I'ocheter — The 

 Way to make a Friend on the Thebus Flats — Hendric Strydom — 

 Hunting for Springbok — Extraordinary Migrations of these Antelopes. 



My " trek-tow" having been destroyed during the 

 recent struggles, I was glad to purchase a new one 

 from a man named Mackenzie in Fichett's employ, 

 which he supplied me, together with a strong thorn- 

 wood yoke, for £1. On leaving the farm we proceed- 

 ed in an easterly course, and struck into a track which 

 in a few hours led us into the high road leading from 

 Grahamstown to Cradock. Having followed this road 



