196 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



stunted trees and bushes. No flowing river 

 refreshes this expanse. Water there is in 

 abundance, but of Imd quality, lying in stagnant 

 pools, slopping about in marshes and in swamps. 

 Nor is it easy for the traveller to detect from the 

 road the presence of this essential element ; the 

 low-lying ground must be carefully searched, or 

 else the much-wanted jdooI may be passed by. 

 Between eleven and twelve in the morning, and 

 between three and four in the afternoon, the 

 trekker, with mules and horses, must find water if 

 he desires to keep his animals in health and strength. 

 On two days we failed so to find it, Avith consequent 

 great anxiety and inconvenience. It would be 

 easy for the Chartered Company to cause posts and 

 notices to be erected along the road at places 

 where water is near. Mile-posts or stones along 

 this endless veldt, the maps of which are vague 

 and inaccurate, would again be of inestimable 

 advantage and of facile establishment. If the 

 trekker is to arrange his " scoffs " (that is, journeys 

 from outspan to outspan) well for his animals, he 

 must know where he is and how far he has travelled 

 or has to travel. But this knowledge it is impos- 

 sible to obtain under j)i'Gsent conditions. The 

 natives who are met with have no idea of distance. 

 Asked if a particular place or water is near, they 

 raise the right arm, pointing it straight out to a 

 level with the shoulder ; if it is far, the arm is 

 raised higher ; if it is very far, then almost per- 

 pendicularly over the head. This does not tell one 

 much, and even the traveller of experience may 



