i88 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



crackling sound of a bnsh fire Ave all started to 

 our feet, and lielield that we were surrounded by 

 an advancing mass of high roaring flame, distant 

 from our waggons less than n hundred yards. 

 Not a moment was to be lost, everyone turned 

 out ; fortunately we were numerous, forty all told ; 

 some seized a coat, some a rug, some a sack, some a 

 branch of a tree hastily torn down, and dashed at 

 the flames to beat down the burning grass and to 

 arrest the progress of the fire. For a minute or 

 two the result seemed doubtful, but by great 

 exertion the fire was overcome and extino-uished 

 Avithin a feAV yards of the camp. At one time I 

 feared that much property Avould have been con- 

 sumed and that great and irreparable loss Avould 

 have been incurred. The natiA'es are in the habit 

 of lighting these fires with perfect carelessness as 

 to Avho or Avliat may be in the neighbourhood. 

 Afterwards they search the charred ground for 

 dead rats and mice, which they find in quantities 

 and eat. The heat of the sun, of the flames, the 

 violent exercise immediately after luncheon, made 

 tAvo or three of our party very unwell. Alto- 

 gether this Avas a hateful and abominable spot, and 

 the day Avas one of discomfort and disaster. While 

 Ave were inspanning for the evening trek, the 

 horse " Bless," which Ave thought to save, Avas 

 suddenly taken worse, and died in a few minutes. 

 A quarter of an hour more nothing remained of us 

 to mark our stay, save the three dead bodies of 

 our poor horses lying stiff and stark and ghastly 

 on the A'eldt. I drove on in the "spider" to 



