126 ADVEN'J'URES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



ness, owing to the animals afflicted with it exhibiting 

 fclie appearance of having been burned. It is incura- 

 ble ; and if the animals infected are not speedily killed 

 or put out of the way, the contagion rapidly spreads, 

 and it is not uncommon for a farmer to lose his entire 

 flock with it. This sad distemper also extends itself 

 to the fercd naiurcB. I have sliot hartebeests, black 

 wildebeests, blesbucks, and springbucks, with their 

 bodies covered with this disease. I have known sea- 

 sons when the three latter animals were so generally 

 affected by it that the vast plains throughout which 

 they are found were covered with hundreds of skulls 

 and skeletons of those that had died therefrom. One 

 of the chief recommendations of the Bastards' country 

 is its admirable suitableness for breeding horses. Large 

 herds of these may be seen throughout their country 

 pasturing high on the mountain sides, or scattered in 

 troops over its grassy plains. The deadly distemper so 

 prevalent along the frontiers of the colony is here of 

 comparatively rare occurrence. In the far interior, 

 however, it is so virulent during five or six months of 

 the year that it is often impossible to save a single 

 horse, and through its ravages I was annually in the 

 habit of losing the greater part of my stud. 



The chiefs of the Griquas and Bastards are in close 

 alliance with the English government, which protects 

 them from the attacks of the rebel Dutch Boers. These, 

 well aw^are of the excellent qualities of the Bastards' 

 country, are possessed with a strong desire to appropri- 

 ate it. The language spoken by both these tribes is 

 Dutch. They have, in general, embraced the Christian 

 religion, and several worthy missionaries have, for sev- 

 eral years past, devoted their lives to the improvement 

 of their temporal and eternal condition. The dress 



