DRIVING GAME TO PITFALLS. 239 



Mm.' " The meaning of this speech was, tliat Mochu- 

 ara, the chief at Motito, had presented me with an ox 

 earring very large horns, and that, in return, I had 

 given him a gun. I now considered that I had ah-eady 

 been too long with this ruffian, and I accordingly called 

 for my oxen and marched for the Vaal River, distant 

 a day and a half. We held on until sundown, having 

 halted for an hour at mid-day. 



We resumed our march at daybreak on the 28th, 

 and held on through boundless open plains. As we ad- 

 vanced, game became more and more abundant. In 

 about two hours we reached a fine fountain, beside 

 which was a small cover of trees and bushes, which 

 afforded an abundant supply of fire-wood. Here we 

 outspanned for breakfast : it was a fine cool morning, 

 with a pleasant breeze. The country was thickly cov- 

 ered with immense herds of game, consisting of zebra, 

 wildebeest, blesbok, and springbok. There could not 

 have been less than five or six thousand head of game 

 in sight of me as I sat at breakfast. Presently the 

 whole of this game began to take alarm. Herd joined 

 herd, and took away up the wind ; and in a few min- 

 utes other vast herds came pouring on up the wind, 

 covering the whole breadth of the plain with a living 

 mass of noble game. 



Bakalahari now hove in sight, running at intervals 

 across the plain, bearing parasols of black ostrich feath- 

 ers, which they brandished on high, to press on the pan- 

 ic-stricken herds. These fellows must have had good 

 wind, for they held on at a steady trot, exactly like wild 

 dogs (only that the wild dogs gallop and do not trot), 

 and did not allow the gane to get very far in advance. 

 It was evident that they were driving it to a range of 

 pitfalls in advance ; but being without steeds, and iq 



