98 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



colonies of meercat or mouse-hunts. This burrowed 

 ground, which is common throughout these parts, was 

 extremely distressing to our horses, the soil giving way 

 at every step, and my steed soon began to flag. On 

 gaining the distant ridge a wide plain lay before me. 

 I looked in every direction, straining my eyes to catch 

 a glimpse of Cobus and the oryx, but they were no- 

 where to be seen. At length, after riding about two 

 miles further in the direction which he seemed to hold 

 when I had last seen him, I detected his white shirt 

 on a ridge a long way to my right, and on coming up 

 to him I found that he had ridden the old bull to a 

 stand-still: the old fellow was actually lying panting 

 beside a green bush. I thought him one of the most 

 lovely animals I had ever beheld, and I could have gaz- 

 ed for hours at him ; but I was now many miles from 

 my wagons, without a chance of water, and dying of 

 thirst, so I speedily finished the poor oryx, and having 

 carefully cut off the head, commenced skinning him. 



It was now late — too late to take home the cow oryx 

 that night; the bull was much too far from my camp 

 to think of saving any part of the flesh. I therefore 

 sent off Cobus to the wagons to fetch water and bread, 

 desiring him to meet me at a spot where the cow gems- 

 bok was lying, where I resolved to sleep, to protect her 

 from hyaenas and jackals; but before Jacob and I had 

 accomplished the skinning, and secured the skin and 

 the head upon the horse, night had set in. My thirst 

 was now fearful, and becoming more and more raging. 

 I would have given any thing I possessed for a bottle 

 of water. In the hope of meeting Cobus, Jacob and I 

 rode slowly forward, and endeavored to find out the 

 place; but darkness coming on, and there being no 

 feature in the desert to guide me, I lost my way en- 



