AN HISTORICAL TREE. 265 



factory food, it would prevent them wandering many a 

 sorry mile in search of pasturage. 



After two more trecks we arrived at the boomslang 

 tree. This tree is almost historical, for when Grordon 

 Gumming was encamped under its shelter, his faithful 

 and well-tried driver Hendrick was seized and carried 

 off from under his wagon by a lion. The intrepid 

 hunter afterwards revenged his death, but even in that 

 there is little consolation for the loss of a valuable 

 servant. 



This tree resembles a gigantic ash, has a very spongy, 

 smooth bark, with a small, fish-shaped leaf. On its 

 bark were cut the names of the most celebrated travellers 

 that have visited this region, prominent among which 

 are those of Gordon Gumming, now nearly obliterated 

 from the ravages of time ; Baynes, the well-known ex- 

 plorer ; Hartley, the great elephant-hunter ; and Mauch. 

 In a weak moment I added my own. Its latitude is 

 just to the south of the tropic of Capricorn, and within 

 thirty yards of the beautiful Limpopo. This stream, if 

 in England, would cause poets to rave about its attrac- 

 tions, and they certainly would have a subject deserving 

 of their raptures, for its clear waters, wooded banks, and 

 constantly repeated pools and rapids here and there 

 interrupted by beds of rocks or massive boulders give it 

 a bewitching air of enchantment. 



The first time I viewed this portion of the charming 

 river, on the opposite bank basked several crocodiles, while 

 francolins and guinea-fowls dusted themselves in the 

 loose sand. In the adjoining trees was a quantity of 

 the pretty little grey monkey, familiar to the neigh- 

 bourhood, while a little farther down its course drank 

 about a dozen of the awkward-looking, but powerfully- 



