RHOOZE-RHEEBOKS. 105 



gule of this mountain range, I made up my mind that 

 there must be some strong water on that side of the 

 hills, as only one or two buffaloes occasionally came to 

 drink at the fountain where I was encamped ; the na- 

 tives all declared that there was none. I, however, on 

 the 22d, determined to ride thither to explore, and ac- 

 cordingly started with Kleinboy and the Bushman. 

 We held first about west, and then crossed the mount- 

 ains by a succession of very rocky valleys and ravines. 

 When we had gained the highest part of the rock, which 

 opened -to us the forests of the north, a troop of seven 

 doe koodoos and three rhooze-rheeboks started on the 

 opposite side of the ravine. The dogs, observing the 

 koodoos, gave immediate chase ; and after a very fine 

 and bold course, they brought one to bay far in the val- 

 ley below, which Kleinboy shot. 



I had, in the mean time, ridden ahead, following an 

 old-established game foot-path, and after proceeding 

 two or three miles I had the satisfaction to discover a 

 beautiful fountain in a deep rocky ravine on the north 

 side of the mountains. Here was fresh spoor of black 

 and white- rhinoceros, buffalo, wildebeest, sassayby, 

 koodoo, klip-springer, &c. A little after this I was met 

 by my after-riders, who had likewise discovered a ra- 

 vine containing water a little to the east. There they 

 had started two bull buffaloes, three buck koodoos, and 

 a troop of rheebok. I then rode to inspect this water, 

 and took up the spoor of the buffaloes, in the hope of 

 bringing them to bay with the dogs I held up the hol- 

 low on their spoor, and presently observed one of them 

 standing among some trees to my le''t. The dogs were 

 snuffing about close under his nose ; nevertheless, they 

 failed to observe him, but set off' at top speed on some 

 other scent ; nor did ihey return for about ten minutes. 

 E2 



