416 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



thought that I would like to follow the sun in his flight 

 till I sank with him beneath the western wave ! 



As I wished to put as much space as possible 

 between my cattle and the lions of Seruley Vley, we 

 trecked on till dark, but the roads now were fearfully 

 heavy, so we were compelled to outspan in an exceed- 

 ingly suspicious place, where trees were numerous and 

 water plentiful, all the requisites that attract thefe&da. 



What between working hard myself and driving my 

 servants to do likewise, I soon had fuel enough to keep 

 three good fires going the entire night ; but several 

 times that I came out of my wagon to ascertain whether 

 they were being attended I found the fires almost out 

 and the boys sound asleep. An utter disregard for any 

 person's property but their own is, I fear, a charac- 

 teristic of the black population of South Africa. 



In the morning what a change had come over all 

 nature ! The thirsty velt looked green, the trees were 

 resplendent in their verdant foliage, and animal life 

 seemed to have sprung into existence in every direction. 

 Grolden and emerald- winged birds fluttered about, turtle- 

 doves cooed their notes of love from each tree, and the 

 great woodpecker, one of the most resplendent of Africa's 

 birds, awoke the echoes with his industrious tap. Even 

 the jackals seemed to whisk their tails with additional 

 energy, and stein-buck and dikers, in ecstacy of mirth, 

 bounded through the surrounding brush. 



Here I had made up my mind to leave the wagon, 

 and ride on to Soshong across the Bamanwatto 

 Hills, but I did not communicate my intention to my 

 people, as I wished to see them started and well under 

 weigh before I left. The distance was great, I think 

 over sixty miles, and I knew not the path ; but I had 



