CiiAP. v.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 33 



position to regard man as an enemy, induced 

 them to mistrust even the ground upon which he 

 had trod. 



The trek bokken, as the occasional immigration 

 to the abodes of civiUzation of countless swarms of 

 these antelopes is called by the colonists, may be 

 reckoned amongst the most extraordinary examples 

 of the fecundity of animal life. To offer any esti- 

 mate of their numbers would be impossible : pouring 

 down like locusts from the endless plains of the 

 interior, whence they have been driven by pro- 

 tracted drought, lions have been seen stalking in 

 the middle of their compressed phalanx, and flocks 

 of sheep have not unfi-equently been carried away 

 with the torrent. Cultivated fields which in the 

 evening appeared proud of their promising verdure, 

 are, in the course of a single night, reaped level 

 with the ground, and the despoiled grazier is con- 

 strained to seek pasture for his flocks elsewhere, 

 until the bountiful thunder-clouds restore vegetation 

 to the burnt-up country. Then the unwelcome 

 visitors instinctively retreat to their secluded abodes, 

 to renew their attacks when necessity shall again 

 compel them. 



Two of our oxen having become exhausted, we 

 presented them to Frederick Mark Graaff, an 

 itinerant pedagogue and masonic brother, whom we 

 here met, and from whom in return we received a 

 handsome and powerful dog. At Vendussie Kuilen, 

 a waterless station, at which we encamped the next 

 day, Piet returned, not only unsuccessful, but hav- 



C5 



