FIRST KOODOO COMES IN VIEW. 243 



surprise at its performance, for the Boers invariably use 

 weapons of immense length. After my victory, all 

 mounted and rode off to the north-east to mark out a 

 new farm. These people have a curious and certainly 

 primitive way of measuring land namely, as much as 

 a horse will walk round in a given time ; accordingly 

 fast- walking horses are in great demand, and are some- 

 times sent for a hundred miles or more to be used for 

 this purpose, the owner of such an animal making 

 considerable sums of money by letting it out to hire. 



I inspanned about half -past three, and in an hour 

 afterwards had entered dense woodland ; noting that the 

 road went nearly due north, I struck off to the west to 

 see what game was in the vicinity. Here I saw the first 

 koodoo (todo Kaffir name), but did not succeed in getting 

 a shot. About an hour afterwards I came upon a large 

 herd of roy-buck ; but the ground they were on was so 

 dense and thick that I could not follow them on horse- 

 back, and they obstinately refused to be stalked. I 

 forgot to mention that Mr. Fayune informed me that 

 he was certain my horse was not saulted, and that I 

 would be sure to lose him on the Crocodile Eiver. I 

 can only hope for the best, for I should indeed be sad 

 if deprived of my enduring, affectionate, and intelligent 

 Basuto pony after he has carried me so many miles. 



Where we outspanned that evening a lion had been 

 seen a few days previously, so I personally superin- 

 tended the collection of wood, placed a loaded rifle and 

 double -barrel in my bed, so as to be at hand at a 

 moment's warning; but nothing disturbed us during 

 the night. The hyaenas appeared to be numerous in the 

 locality, for their low, plaintive half -whistle, half- wail, 

 could constantly be heard. 



