150 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



riders to beat up the cover, and they started them two 

 or three times, but I was still unsuccessful. We now 

 started for the bees' nest, which was in an old hollow 

 tree. I kindled a large fire in front of the hole, and, 

 having smoked them with dry grass, took out the honey, 

 which was excellent. I got, however, about fifty stings 

 on my hands and arms. In the afternoon I inspanned, 

 and crossed the Macoolwey a few miles above its junc- 

 tion with the Limpopo. The natives again tried hard 

 to lead me to Selelca, but I would not yet leave the 

 Limpopo, and accordingly sheered off to its banks, 

 which I reached by bright moonlight. Here we heard 

 hippopotami snorting in the river, and lions roared 

 near us all night long. Next day I had the luck to 

 shoot two very fine old buck serolomootlooques. 



On the 27th I rode down the river at dawn of day, 

 and ordered my wagons to follow in two hours. While 

 riding along the river's bank, some distance beyond the 

 limits of yesterday's ride, opposite to a broad sand-bank 

 densely covered with reeds, I heard a loud plunge, which 

 was immediately followed by the welcome blowing 

 sound of sea-cows. I instantly divested myself of my 

 leather trowsers, and went down into the reeds, where 

 I came suddenly upon a crocodile of average size, lying 

 in a shallow back stream ; and on his attempting to 

 gain the main river, I shot him with a bullet in the 

 shoulder : he lay dead on the spot. This was the first 

 crocodile which I had managed to lay my han Is upon, 

 although I had shot many. The sound of my rifle 

 alarmed the sea-cows ; some took up, and some down 

 the river. I was unfortunate with them, shooting two 

 and losing them both. As I was seeking the wounded 

 hippopotami, my wagons came up. Soon after break- 

 fast, the chief Seleka, with a number of his aristocracy, 



