A DEAD CALM. 165 



splendid, and I could not help regretting that in a 

 day or two we were to leave this beautiful lake, per- 

 haps for ever. 



Having enjoyed myself admiring the picture for 

 nearly an hour, I descended the hill by another 

 route ; but I experienced, if possible, more difficulty 

 ere I reached the bottom than I had in the ascent. 

 Shortly after I had regained the flat and wooded 

 tract beneath, a bush-bock rushed from grass about 

 three feet high, through which I was steering my 

 course for the boat, and I luckily killed him, the 

 ball entering the loin, and passing out through the 

 opposite side. I was soon in camp, and Moloka and 

 a couple of men returned with me for the buck, and 

 brought him home. 



About noon the storm began to decrease rapidly, 

 and all were talking of a start. Grub was hastily 

 cooked, and directly it was over we were off with 

 but little wind — a heavy swell, the natural effect of 

 the recent gale, pitching us about. However, there 

 was no broken water, and it did us no harm. 



As we sailed along, we passed one or two other 

 bays, similar to that we had left, and on the sandy 

 beach of one were two herds of waterbuck. I should 

 have liked to have landed and tried my luck, but 

 time would not permit. At three o'clock it was dead 

 calm, and the Makololos were again at the oars. 

 After a couple of hours' pull we were abreast of an- 

 other bay and beach, and as thefe was no appearance 

 of a good landing-place further on, we landed, and 

 prepared the bivouac. 



Shortly after landing I took Malourie and a spare 



