374 THE GEE AT THIRST LAND. 



got down several feet, and the stream commenced to flow ; 

 fartHer they went till they reached gritty sandstone. 

 Here they stopped, for if you break this, and the fact is 

 worth knowing, though few are aware of it, the precious 

 fluid will run away. To these holes an hour's rest was 

 given, when in each apartment was discovered thirty or 

 forty gallons of water. I consequently had my drink and 

 dear little Euby hers. Then I left to hunt, the boys 

 having strict orders to attend most carefully to the 

 watering of the bullocks, which were now standing 

 round the excavations looking as if they envied every 

 drop of water which I and my horse swallowed. 



In less than an hour I found giraffes ; they were so 

 remarkably tame that I do not know how many I could 

 have killed, but I was satisfied with a cow. On my 

 way home I encountered a large herd of the grandest 

 of all antelopes, the eland ; like the previous game they 

 were so careless of their safety that I might have, with 

 facility, made my choice of the herd. One reason for my 

 getting near them with such ease was that the brush t 

 all mapaney, was very thick and tall, fairly interspersed 

 with larger timber, thus affording me every opportunity 

 of, unperceived, approaching the wild animals. 



When I returned to camp I found my cattle feeding, 

 a sure indication that their thirst had been sated, for 

 unless it is quenched these wilful beasts will not touch 

 a blade of grass. As the pasture was good here I 

 resolved to put off my departure till the next afternoon, 

 and I informed my people of the intended delay. 



In the afternoon I again went out for a stroll, and 

 came across a great number of baobab trees. They grew 

 generally at a distance of several hundred yards apart, 

 and at the present time were covered with fruit. The 



