Chap. VIII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 65 



habited. During the whole of this and the following 

 day we saw no human being, a circumstance which 

 I note here, because it added in no small degree to 

 the troubles I am about to detail. 



On the morning of the 9th October, when the 

 waggons had started on their way to the Meritsane 

 River^ our next stage, I turned off" the road in pursuit 

 of a troop of brindled gnoos, and presently came 

 upon another, which was joined by a third still 

 larger — then by a vast herd of zebras, and again 

 by more gnoos, with sassaybys * and hartebeests, 

 pouring down from every quarter, until the land- 

 scape literally presented the appearance of a moving 

 mass of game. Their incredible numbers so im- 

 peded their progress, that I had no difficulty in 

 closing with them, dismounting as opportunity 

 offered, firing both barrels of my rifle into the re- 

 treating phalanx, and leaving the ground strewed 

 with the slain. Still unsatisfied, I could not resist 

 the temptation of mixing with the fugitives, loading 

 and firing, imtil my jaded horse suddenly exhibited 

 symptoms of distress, and shortly afterwards was 

 unable to move. At this moment I discovered that 

 I had dropped my pocket compass, and being un- 

 willing to lose so valuable an ally, I turned loose 

 my steed to graze, and retraced my steps several 

 miles without success; the prints of my horse's 

 hoofs being at length lost in those of the countless 

 herds which had crossed the plain. Completely ab^ 

 sorbed in the chase, I had retained but an imperfect 

 * Acronotus Lunata. Delineated in the African Views. 



