226 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Aerica. 



arrived at " Beale's Camp." This is a cluster of 

 huts, now for the time deserted, situated on the 

 slopes descending to the Umfuli, which here flows 

 through a spacious plain. Here has resided for 

 some months an enterprising sergeant of the police 

 force, who imagines that he has discovered a rich 

 reef, and has pegged out several claims. The soil 

 differs from the surrounding plain, being of a red 

 sandstone, and the output of quartz was distinct. 

 Xone of us, however, Avere able to form any 

 opinion as to its auriferous qualities. Agriculture 

 and cattle-grazing in this neighbourhood might be 

 successful. Lee and I again tried our fortune in 

 the afternoon over the open plain extending to the 

 north. We had a good gallop after and several 

 shots at a herd of hartebeest, of which I succeeded 

 in killing one, Lee this afternoon shot very 

 badly. He carried a rifle of mine, a '577 single- 

 barrel Henry, and missed shot after shot at com- 

 paratively easy distances, lie was much put out, 

 and declared that the rifle was a bad one and no 

 use. As he had been shooting with it Avell on 

 previous davs, I could not understand how the 

 weapon could suddenly have become worthless. 

 ()n our wav back to camp as evening was setting 

 in, we got good shots at two roan antelope, which 

 hardly troubled to get out of the "svay. They 

 were perfectly right, as we both missed easy shots, 

 and Lee was more than ever convinced of the bad- 

 ness of the rifle. During our ride I found a nice 

 little stream and grove aljout four miles from our 

 camp, all round which place was much fresh spoor I 



