BRUNT SICKNESS. 95 



The appearance of this disease I can only 

 describe, the origin I attribute it to is only 

 hypothesis. 



On the back or saddle of the victim is a large 

 space of scab ; the Boers say it originates from 

 the beast being bitten by some noxious fly, after 

 which it licks the wound, and upon the saliva the 

 blue fly and common house-fly of the country alight, 

 and deposit their ova. From the appearance of the 

 sore, I think this most probably the cause of the 

 disease. 



As the few clouds that exist are now in the 

 west, and the sun, their king, is among them, re- 

 proving some for their dull sombreness, or imparting 

 to his favourites some of his resplendent colours, I 

 know that night is at hand, and that little time is 

 to be lost if I wish to reach the -wagons before 

 darkness descends ; so, with a shout to summon my 

 companions, and a cheer to encourage my good nag 

 to further exertions, we soon cover the intervening 

 distance with the exception of a few hundred yards, 

 where I witness one of those scenes that occur now 

 and then to give zest to a hunter's life. It was the 

 assemblage of all my servants and their staff in the 



