CHAPTEE XIII. 



AMONG THE BOERS. 



New Year's Day First Signs of Game The Spring Buck Crossing a Spruit 

 Rather too much Hospitality An Invitation to a Wedding William 

 Elevated His Repertoire The Scene of Rejoicing William Sober but Sad 

 A Vain Attempt to Sleep Morris in like Predicament Suffering from 

 Gnats Reflections under the Attack My Cattle in Pound Released. 



NEW YEAR'S DAY. Fine clear weather, and not too 

 warm. We commenced trecking soon after daybreak ; 

 the cattle were in excellent spirits, and we got along 

 right merrily. About seven I shot a hare and a par- 

 tridge from the road. The former, although severely 

 wounded, gave the dogs quite a run before it was 

 captured ; and if it had not been hit none of our pack 

 could have overtaken it. 



About eleven, the first spring bucks we had seen 

 came over the brow of a swell in the velt ; they were 

 apparently very tame, although they must have seen 

 our wagons, oxen, and selves, and evinced more curiosity 

 than fear. 



We intended as soon as we out spanned to have a 

 shot at them, but before that took place we stuck in a 

 deep boggy spruit, out of which it required our full 

 strength and the loss of an hour to extricate the wagon ; 

 so the cracking of whips, shouting of men, and strug- 

 gling of the cattle frightened them off to parts unknown . 

 Thus we had seen the avant-courier of the immense 



