420 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



Matters began to look serious, for it was getting 

 late, so I took out my comforter soother of every grief 

 and best of counsellors my pipe, and called it into 

 confidence. The result was that I concluded that I was 

 still too far to the north. So into the saddle once 

 more. " Come, my little darling, and put your best 

 foot forward," I said to Euby ; and as fresh and elastic 

 in her gait as she had been in the morning, she struck 

 into her long, easy canter, nor showed signs of pulling 

 up till several miles were traversed. Here the ground 

 was exceedingly wild and rugged, with immense coppies 

 of broken rock rising from the hill- sides ; but a fairer 

 view soon opened on the sight a large extended plain, 

 and a Kaffir village in the distance. " Come on, little 

 one, another effort," and my enduring, plucky mare, 

 game to the last, answered my call, and soon took me up 

 to the human habitations. 



I asked for " Soshong," I asked for " water," yet 

 none of these people would answer. What could 

 they fear ? or was it only indifference to a white man's 

 wants ? Disgusted, I turned my back on them, and 

 rode slowly away. A good camping-place for the night 

 it was now necessary to look for, and I was about 

 deciding on the merits of one, when a " herd " made his 

 appearance. He looked at me in amazement, and I 

 stared at him, as I thought I had seen him before, and 

 so I had it was Mr. Mackenzie's man, the man who 

 had taken care of my oxen. 



In half an hour more I was by the spring at the top 

 of the kloof. There I and my beasts had a long and 

 most refreshing drink. Thirst quenched, we push down 

 past the baboons' cave, and in a few minutes more the 

 good, kind missionary has me by the hand. 



