202 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



smell of meat would as usual attract some stragglers to the 

 spot. But no. The keen-sighted vultures, that were my 

 only attendants, descended in multitudes, but no woolly- 

 headed negro appeared to dispute the prey. In many of 

 the trees I observed large thatched houses resembling hay- 

 stacks ; and under the impression that these had been erected 

 in so singular a position by the natives as a measure of secu- 

 rity against the lions, whose recent tracks I distinguished in 

 every direction, I ascended more than one in the hope of at 

 least finding some vessel containing water. Alas ! they 

 proved to be the habitations of large communities of social 

 grosbeaks, those winged republicans of whose architecture 

 and magnificent edifices, I had, till now, entertained a very 

 inadequate conception. Faint and bewildered, my prospects 

 began to brighten as the shadows of evening lengthened. 

 Large troops of ostriches running in one direction, plainly 

 indicated that I was approaching water ; and immediately 

 afterwards I struck into a path impressed with the foot-marks 

 of women and children soon arriving at a nearly dry river, 

 which, running east and west, I at once concluded to be that 

 of which I was in search. 



" Those only who have suffered as I did during this day 

 from prolonged thirst, can form a competent idea of the de- 

 light, and I may add, energy, afforded me by the first draught 

 of the putrid waters of the Meritsane. They equally invigo- 

 rated my exhausted steed, which I mounted immediately and 

 cantered up the bank of the river, in order, if possible, to 

 reach the wagons before dark. The banks are precipitous 

 the channel deep, broken, and rocky ; clusters of reeds and 

 long grass indicating those spots which retain the water dur- 

 ing the hot months. It was with no small difficulty, after 

 crossing the river, that I forced my way through the broad 

 belt of tangled bushes which margined the edge. The moon- 

 less night was fast closing around, and my weary horse again 

 began to droop. The lions, commencing their nightly prowl, 



