116 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



ten feet deep, and extending throughout the entire lenKh 

 of the plain, I had only to study the wind, and could 

 walk up within easy shot of any herd, and select what 

 buck I pleased. 



Here I remained for several days, enjoying brilliant 

 sport, both oryx and springboks giving me each day 

 <$xcellent shots. Here, also, I shot my first ostrich, a 

 fine old cock. It was a very long shot ; I gave my rifle 

 several feet of elevation, yet nevertheless the ball struck 

 him on the leg, breaking it below the knee, when he 

 fell and was unable to rise. The power possessed by 

 an ostrich in his leg can hardly be imagined. The 

 thigh is vry muscular, and resembles that of a horse 

 more than that of a bird. In the act of dying, he lashed 

 out and caught me a severe blow on my leg, which 

 laid me prostrate. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Leave Beer Vley — A Bushboy captured and enlisted as a Follower — 

 Famous Sport with Wildebeest and Quaggas from a Hunting-hole — 

 Water fails, and we mai'ch to the Great Orange River — Beautiful Ap- 

 pearance of the River — Stink Vonteyn, a famous sporting Quarter — ■ 

 An Ostrich's Nest — Bold Mountain Ranges — The Griqua Tribe, their 

 Manners and Customs — An ancient Mimosa Forest — Residence of a 

 Bushman — Successful Chase of a noble Bull Oryx. 



On the 9th I considered I had sufficiently long en- 

 joyed the sweets of Beer Vley ; and accordingly, the 

 wagons being properly packed, I inspanned in the aft- 

 ernoon, and trekked to the south. On the following 

 morning we inspanned at the dawn of day, and retraced 

 our steps to the Rhinoceros Pool. The heat^ continued 



