Chap. XIX.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 159 



from a siesta by the smarting of a gun-shot wound, 

 the infuriated animal had pursued his assailant so 

 closely that it became necessary to discharge the 

 second barrel into his mouth, an operation in the 

 performing which the stock was much disfigured by 

 the animal's horn. I employed the rest of the day 

 in repairing my own weapon with the iron clamp of a 

 box, binding it with a strip of green hide from the 

 carcase of an eland. 



There being no practicable road across the Mari- 

 qua w ithin several miles of our position, w'e were 

 compelled, on the 2Sth, to make one by paring down 

 the steep banks : and even then, experienced great 

 difficulty in towing our heavy vans to the opposite 

 side by the united strength of the teams. The de- 

 scent was almost perpendicular, requiring both wheels 

 to be locked: the bed of the river, covered with 

 loose stones, was too confined to admit of the oxen 

 acting in concert : — and the current, straightened by 

 the narrowness of the channel, was rapid, and rose 

 to the floors of the waggons. 



Shortly after we had crossed, a large mixed herd 

 of sassaybys and quaggas, alarmed by the sudden 

 appearance of our cavalcade, charged past me so 

 close, that one of the latter fell at my feet at each 

 discharge of the rifle. Several savages had followed 

 us to obtain a supply of dried meat and assist in 

 hunting ; but although they were greatly delighted 

 at this performance, it was not imtil an unwieldy 

 white rhinoceros *,. had bit the dust, that they were 



* Rhinoceros Sinusus. Delineated in the African Views, 



