90 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



Next morning, having bathed and breakfasted, (^amp. 

 bell and I parted, he for Colesberg and I for the Karroo. 

 I trekked on all day, and, having performed a march 

 of twenty-five miles, halted at sundown on the farm of 

 old Wessel, whom I found very drunk. My road lay 

 through vast plains, intersected with ridges of stony 

 hills. On these plains I found the game in herds ex- 

 ceeding any thing I had yet seen — springbok in troops 

 of at least ten thousand ; also large bodies of quaggas, 

 wildebeest, blesbok, and several ostriches. I had hoped 

 to have purchased some horses from Wessel, but he was 

 too drunk to transact any business, informing me that 

 he was a Boer, and could not endure the sight of En- 

 glishmen, at the same time shoving me out of the house, 

 much to the horror of his wife and daughters, who 

 seemed rather nice people. 



Two more days of hard marching, under a burning 

 sun, brought me to the farm of Mynheer Stinkum, 

 which I reached late on the evening of the 7th. H^ 

 informed me that about fifteen miles to the west of his 

 farm I should fall in with a Boer of the wandering tribe 

 who would direct me to a remote vley in the Karroo, a 



stances of the kind happened both to myself and to Mr. Osvvell of the 

 H. E. I. C. S., a dashing sportsman, and one of the best hunters I ever 

 met, who performed two hunting expeditions into the interior. Mr. 

 Oswell and a companion were one day galloping along the shady banks 

 of the Limpopo, in full pursuit of a wouuded buffalo, when they were 

 suddenly joined by three lions, who seemed determined to dispute the 

 chase with them The buffalo held stoutly on, followed by the three 

 lions, Oswell and his companion bi'inging up the rear. Veiy soon the 

 lions sprang upon the mighty bull and dragged him to the ground, when 

 the most teiTific scuffle ensued. Mr. Oswell and friend then approached 

 and opened their fire upon the royal family, and, as each ball struck the 

 lions, they seemed to consider it was a poke from the horns of the buffa- 

 lo, and redoubled their attentions to him. At length the sportsmen suc- 

 ceeded in bowling over two of the lions, upon which the third, finding 

 the ground too hot for him, made off. 



