Chap. XXIX.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 255 



mountains by the opening described in a former 

 chapter, and arriving, with some hair-breadtli 

 escapes, at one of our former stations, on the south 

 side of the range. The next day, our route lying 

 across a belt of hillocks, with many steep acclivities", 

 over which the unweildy waggons toiled with in- 

 finite difficulty, our progress was repeatedly delayed 

 by the breaking of one of the tow-ropes ; the half- 

 starved dogs of the savages, which not unfrequently 

 devoured the veldt scoen, or untanned leather shoes 

 of our followers, having, at our last station, gnawed 

 through some of the strands. A large herd of wild 

 buft'aloes being observed at a little distance, my 

 companion and myself mounted our horses, and 

 soon despatched a splendid bull. Whilst several 

 of the followers were employed in flaying the 

 animal, we returned to the waggons, and sent 

 Andries with a pack-horse for the hide, of which a 

 new trek-touw was to be manufactured. He pre- 

 sently returned at speed, to acquaint us that Piet 

 had been badly wounded in the leg by the accidental 

 discharge of a gun ; and 'Lingap, who accompanied 

 him, after pointing with breathless dismay to a hole 

 perforated by the same bullet through his own 

 shield, proceeded to a minute practical illustration 

 of the aftair, by placing Andries' clumsy piece 

 against a tree in such a way, that it also fell down, 

 and was discharged, but, fortunately, without doing 

 further mischief. The unhappy Piet was brought 

 in shortly afterwards, when our nervous anxiety 

 respecting him was not a little relieved by an in- 



