2\}4 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XXXIII. 



was still a conspicuous land-mark — thus certainly 

 intersecting the road, if, indeed, any traces of it re- 

 mained, of which I began to be doubtful. To this 

 programme I rigorously adhered, walking the 

 greater part of the way to save my harassed steed, 

 upon whose back 1 now contemplated the probability 

 of having to seek my way to the colony — a probabi- 

 lity which was mightily increased about sunset, when 

 I found myself preparing to perfect my acquaint- 

 ance with the cone, by roosting on its summit, 

 " In a deep cave, dug by no mortal hand." 

 During this second day's weary pilgrimage, 

 scorched by the ardent and reflected rays of a sum- 

 mer sun, I arrived at an extensive pond covered with 

 water-lilies, and bordered by a broad belt of flags 

 and rushes. Hastily approaching the margin, I be- 

 came suddenly ingulfed in a pit-fall, six feet in depth, 

 filled with mire and water, from which I extricated 

 myself with inconceivable difficulty. On recovering 

 my shoes out of the stiff blue clay at the bottom, I 

 perceived that the whole tank was closely invested 

 by a chain of these traps, which had been carefully 

 covered over by my friends the Bushmen. Having • 

 shot a spring-buck, I here scorched enough of the 

 flesh to satisfy the cravings of hunger, and slinging 

 a fine fat leg on either side of the saddle, took up 

 my night's lodging as already described, without 

 having been able to discover the smallest traces of 

 the road. 



The night was serene and starlight. From the 

 top of my strong-hold I looked out upon the tran- 



