298 ADVEiNTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



endless streams of blesboks to halt my wagons for a 

 minute to catch and saddle steeds and give them chase 

 They proved extremely shy, and in about four hours 1 

 rode to seek my wagons, having bagged a gnoo and a 

 brace of blesboks. 



While following the game, one of my after-riders 

 started an ostrich from her nest, which she had scooped 

 in the sand : it was about seven feet in diameter, and 

 contained thirty-four fine fresh eggs. I left Ruyter iu 

 charge of the nest, the eggs being in danger from jack- 

 als and vultures, and particularly from the ostrich her- 

 self, who would return in our absence and break every 

 one of them. Having reached my camp, I dispatched 

 two men with leather sacks to fetch them. 



Next morning I again rode forth to hunt on the 

 plains below my camp, and took up positions, lying on 

 my breast behind the ant-hills, while Booi and Ruyter 

 moved up the game toward me. I had some exciting 

 sport, the wildebeests several times coming charging 

 madly down upon the very spot where I lay concealed. 

 About mid-day I had bagged two old bulls, and found 

 one of the wounded of the day before : he was still 

 warm, and was in first-rate condition. Several thou- 

 sand blesboks came pouring up wind between me and 

 my camp as I was riding home : these had probably 

 been hunted up by some Boer or Boers to leeward. In 

 the evening I again rode out, and had the game moved 

 toward me, when I shot a fourth old bull wildebeest 

 for which 1 dispatched men with a pack-ox by moon- 

 light, having left Booi in charge of the venison. 



On the 1st of February we marched, and reached 

 Bloem Vonteyn on the 3d, where I was kindly received 

 by the officers of the 45th and Cape Corps stationed 

 there. Here we remained a day or two, and then 



