240 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



However, up to the present, there is no sign 

 of a prophet arising in Bushmanland with a 

 message for a land that sorely needs it. 



The half-breeds had heard of the spring- 

 buck; a few days previously the latter were 

 credibly reported to be somewhere about 

 thirty miles to the northward, near Kat Vley. 

 And we were assured of the almost incredible 

 fact that Kat Vley contained water. That was 

 certainly an annus mirabilis in the desert. 



At mid-day we took our departure, making 

 for the vicinity where the springbuck were said 

 to be. In the afternoon dense clouds rolled 

 up from the south-westward and a deluge of 

 hail struck us. Within the memory of men no 

 similar thing had happened in Bushmanland. 

 Andries and I were comfortable enough in the 

 wagon; Hendrick and Piet Noona fixed a sail 

 to the windward wheels and lit a big candle- 

 bush fire to leeward. After travelling about 

 twenty miles we had camped for the night, for 

 the hail-clouds had been rolling up at intervals 

 of about half an hour, and there appeared to 

 be no likelihood of the weather clearing. The 

 poor horses, they were in for a time of 

 misery ! 



Morning broke with drifting clouds and a 

 high wind from the south-west. .We in- 



