326 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



greased before taking the field. This was my invariable 

 custom : I found it a great convenience, and after a 

 little practice I could load and fire in the saddle, al- 

 though riding in rough ground at a swinging gallop. 



On the evening of the 12th a herald from Sicomy 

 stood up in the center of my camp, and loudly proclaim- 

 ed that it was th^ king's orders that on the following 

 day every man should return to head-quarters ; and, ac- 

 cordingly, next day all hands shouldered their impedi- 

 menta and forsook me. I could not rightly divine the 

 cause of this mysterious command ; but I attributed it 

 to some plotting scheme of Isaac's, who, I understood, 

 was living with Sicomy. I saw very plainly that Mut- 

 chuisho was against the move. In consideration of his 

 services, I begged his acceptance of several considera- 

 ble presents, and I also sent some presents to the king. 

 On parting, Mutchuisho promised shortly to return, and 

 he informed me that he had instructed a party of Baka- 

 lahari to assist me in my hunting during his alsence 



END O? VOL. 1. 



