78 



ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRJCA. 



which he pronounced to be a springbok, and on going 

 up we found one fine old doe lying dead, shot through 

 the spine. This day, and every day since I arrived at 

 these flats, I was astonished at the number of skeletons 

 and well-bleached skulls with which the plains were 

 covered. Thousands of skulls of springbok and wilde- 

 beest were strewed around wherever the hunter turned 

 his eye. The sun was extremely powerful all day, but, 

 being intent on the sport, I did not feel it until I found 

 my legs burned ; my dress, as usual, was the kilt, with 

 a gray stalk ing-c'ap. On reaching home the following 

 day, a large party of natives, belonging to the chief 

 Moshesh, arrived on the farm. These poor men were 

 traveling in quest of employment. Numbers of na- 

 tives annually visit the colony, and work for the Boers, 

 making stone inclosures for their cattle, and large dams 

 or embankments across little streams in the mouths of 

 valleys, for the purpose of collecting water in the rainy 

 season for the supply of their flocks and herds during 

 the protracted droughts of summer. They are paid 

 for their labor with young cows or she-goats. The re- 

 cent rains having washed away the embankment of a 

 dam situated in a distant range of hills, on the borders 

 of the farm, Strydom engaged these men to repair it. 

 The vicinity of the dam being a favorite haunt for 

 quaggas, and it being necessary that Strydom should 

 go there on the morrow, we resolved to hunt in the 

 neighboring district, in which were situated some high 

 and rugged hills. Accordingly, next day, we sallied 

 forth, and I ascended to one of their highest pinnacles, 

 where I managed to shoot a rhode-raebok. Joining 

 Strydom shortly afterward, we hunted over anothei 

 range of the same hills, where we fell in with three 

 |uaggas and other game. Night was now fast setting 



