A PRIMITIVE COUCH, 139 



hunter discovers a heavy old buck koodoo on level 

 ground, there is no great difficulty to ride into him, 

 his speed and endurance being very inferior to that of 

 the oryx. I could have stood contemplating him for 

 hours, but darkness was fast setting in ; so, having oft- 

 saddled and knee-haltered our horses, we carefully re- 

 moved the head and commenced skinning him. "The 

 skin of the koodoo, though thin, is extremely tough, 

 and is much prized by the colonists for " foreslooks," 

 or lashes for ox-wagon whips. The koodoo-skin was 

 my mattress, my saddle was my pillow ; and supper- 

 less I lay down to rest, without any covering save an 

 old shirt and a pair of leather crackers. The excite- 

 ment of the thrilling sport which I had enjoyed pre- 

 vented my sleeping until a late hour ; and when at 

 length I closed my eyes, I dreamed that we were sur- 

 rounded by a troop of lions, and, awaking with a loud 

 cry, startled my men and horses. 



On the 26th we arose at earliest dawn, and having 

 packed the trophies of the koodoo and a part of his flesh 

 upon my spare horse, I dispatched Jacob with him to 

 camp, while Cobus and I held northeast to seek for 

 roan antelope. I sought that day and the two follow- 

 ing for these antelopes, but saw no traces of them. 



On the morning of the 30th I inspanned, and trekked 

 some miles further up the northern bank of the Vaal, 

 and encamped opposite where the Rict or Reed River 

 joins it. The stream here is extremely beautiful, be- 

 ing about a hundred and fifty yards in breadth, with 

 sloping banks richly adorned with shady evergreen 

 groves, and fringed with lofty reeds — a never-failing 

 prognosticator of a sleepless night, a virulent species 

 of musquito being always abundant where reeds are 

 met with. Several large bustards were stalking on a 



