88 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA* 



tory which I had already collected in the charge of my 

 friend Mr. Dickson, a merchant in Colesberg. During 

 my stay in Colesberg my men were in a constant state 

 of beastly intoxication, and gave me much trouble, and 

 my oxen and horses were constantly reported in the 

 " skit-kraal" or pound. I engaged one more Plottentot, 

 named John Stofolus, as driver to the new wagon. He 

 was an active, stout little man, and very neat-handed 

 at stuffing the heads of game, preserving specimens, or 

 any other little job which I might give him to do. He 

 was, however, extremely fond of fighting with his com- 

 rades, and v/as ever boasting of his own prowess ; but 

 when his courage was put to the proof in assisting me 

 to hunt the more dangerous animals, he was found wo- 

 fully deficient. 



CHAPTER V. 



Departure from Colesberg — Jaging Springbok — Vast Herds of Game- 

 Swarms of Flies — Oology — A Nomade Boer's Encampment — Anec- 

 dote of the Gemsbok — Cobus rides down a splendid old Bull Gems- 

 bok — A Night in the Desert — Fatersou amves — Bushmen — Their ex- 

 Inordiuary Raids across the Desert 



On the evening of the 2d of December, with consid- 

 erable difficulty I collected my drunken servants, my 

 oxen and horses, and, taking leave of my kind enter- 

 tainers, trekked out of Colesberg, steering west for the 

 vast Karroo plains, where the gemsbok were said to be 

 still abundant. It was agreed that Campbell should 

 follow me on the second day to hunt springbok and 

 black wildebeost, in a district through which I was to 

 travel ; and Paterson had applied for a fortnight's leave, 



