Chap. XXXIII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 295 



quil expanse beneath me, and listened for hours to 

 catch some friendly melody that might direct my 

 bewildered footsteps. Where, alas ! was the " busy 

 hum of men?" The shrill neighing of the wild 

 ass, the bleat of the timid spring-buck, or the 

 bellow of the gnoo, with the deep-drawn distant 

 sighing of a prowling lion, occasionally borne along 

 upon the breeze, alone disturbed the grave-like still- 

 ness of the wilderness ! Seriously did I now debate 

 with myself upon the propriety of making for the 

 Colony, instead of prolonging my search. It is true 

 that every thing betwixt me and it was wrapped in 

 uncertainty, and that to arrive there I should have 

 •to pass alone through an unknown and inhospitable 

 region ; but on the other hand, I had already done 

 all that human ingenuity could devise, without the 

 smallest success. I estimated my distance from the 

 New Hantam to be about two hundred miles ; and 

 being well provided with ammunition, there was a 

 fair prospect of my being able to reach that district 

 in six or seven days, unless the scarcity of game 

 should oblige me to sacrifice my steed. Taking 

 into consideration, however, the long and dismal 

 state of uncertainty that the measure would entail 

 upon my companion, I finally determined to make 

 one more huntsman-like cast, before giving up the 

 search in despair. 



Another day dawned, and again I saddled my 

 trusty beast, and struck into the pathless waste, in- 

 tending to make a wide sweep to the northward and 

 westward, where it was possible that rain might 



