Gl.t kicked ev an ox. 51 



ward the end of the march it was necessary to descend 

 into a rnggii valley, and cross a very awkward water- 

 course, in which the baggage-wagon was within a hair- 

 breadth of being capsized. Ascending from this valley, 

 we crossed a precipitous ridge, where large disjointed 

 masses of rock threatened the momentary destruction 

 of the wagons. As I was yoking one of the oxen, which 

 had broken his yoke-skey and got out of his place, I re- 

 ceived from a vicious ox in front a severe kick on the 

 cap of the knee, which gave me intense pain and laid 

 me prostrate on the ground. I, however, managed to 

 drive the wagon to its destination, where, after lying 

 for a few minutes, the pain increased so much that I 

 lay panting on my bed. Just as I had ou^-spanned, 

 and before my knee had stiffened, a herd of zebras ap- 

 proached the fountain to drink. This was a God-send 

 at such a moment, our flesh being at an end and the 

 dogs starving. In torture as I was, I managed to make 

 a limping stalk toward them, when I obtained a fine 

 double-shot and brought down a brace of tine old mares. 

 The following day was the 1st of November; my 

 knee was much better, and in the afternoon I went out 

 with Ruyter and shot two koodoos and a pallah. J 

 shot one of the koodoos from the saddle, as he bounded 

 past me at a hundred yards. At night, as I lay down, 

 I heard a lion roar in the vicinity of camp, but soon 1 

 was asleep. In a few hours I was awoke by an unus- 

 ud disturbance in the camp, and, raising my head, I 

 saw the Bechuanas standing close together round the 

 fire with their faces outward, while they shrieked and 

 talked with unusual volubility. I guessed at once that 

 a lion caused the rumpus ; and I was right. The dogs 

 were barking loud and angrily, and kept rushing back 

 occasionally to ihc fire, as if pursued by some animal 



