240 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



ing a short distance hard in their dusty wake, through 

 a thinly-wooded part of the forest, I pulled up and was 

 on my feet just as the leading cow wheeled about. I 

 fired right and left, and shot two fat old cows. Both 

 ran a short distance and fell. The Bechuanas now 

 came up with Kleinboy, greatly delighted at my suc- 

 cess. I presented them with the bull and one of the 

 cows for their chief, and, having placed the remaining 

 cow upon my pack-horse, we returned to camp. 



Here I found Caachy with all his retinue : they had 

 come out to endeavor by cunning speaking to lead me 

 astray. Having saluted Caachy, I said that I had yes- 

 terday promised to kill some game for him, and that I 

 had now fulfilled my word, upon which he thanked me. 

 I then remarked that his men did not lead me as Dr. 

 Livingstone had told me to ride ; to which he replied 

 that the road was circuitous, and that they led me so 

 on account of water. At length he had almost per- 

 suaded me to follow his guides, but I said I would rest 

 till to-morrow, having determined that, as I had no 

 friend whom I might consult, I would revolve the sub- 

 ject in my mind that night, and determine finally in 

 the morning.* Caachy then drank coffee with me and 

 departed. In the evening I inquired of the guides con- 

 cerning the waters and the distances between them. 

 They replied that the first water was a rnoderate day's 

 journey, but after that I must ride more than two days 

 without water : they also persevered in pointing to the 

 east as my course, I now plainly saw that their in- 

 tention was to lead me far astray, and finally to bring 

 me to Sichely, their own paramount chief. I therefore 

 resolved to adhere to my first resolution of steering my 

 own course by the compass, but I kept this intention 

 secret, fearing that they might steal some of my oxen. 



