The Reawaketiiag : Sclent IJic Exploration 237 



latter could have been killed. We got tired of shooting and after bagging thirty 

 rhinoceroses in a week, left them alone. The Bushmen were in ecstasies, they dried 

 every bit of the meat and wasted none. There were herds of elephants there but what 

 could be done I The country was perfectly open and without horses it would have Ijeen 

 madness to have gone after them. They look immense beasts in the night time. We 

 sat up in the night in little places built round with loose stones. The walls about 

 3 feet high, and a circle of some six feet across, close by tlie water and there waited for 

 the rhinoceroses. Many were shot 8 paces off — most about twelve. They very 

 seldom drop on the spot, but as soon as wounded run about most viciously — one found 

 out Andersson and knocked down his screen however he jumped out on the other side. 

 They are extremely quick beasts — the largest shot was 16 feet long and about 6 feet 

 high. I forget his girth, but it was enormous. I put a bullet clean through one, in at 

 one side, and out at the other. It is very seldom that this happens, as the hide is so thick. 

 Well at this place we came on the tracks of people who had reached the Lake on ride 

 oxen, and great scoundrels they were too. The story is a long one, it is this. The year 

 after Mr Oswell discovered the Lake, some Griquas explored a direct road to it, from 

 the Southward and just after they had gone a party of the Kubabees (also fi'om the 

 South but more to the West than the Griquas) also went up the country on a plundering 

 excursion. They reached 'Tounobis the place where we shot the rhinoceroses, and 

 there hearing of the Griquas, tliey got Bushmen guides and reached their waggon 

 tracks in four days, three days more brought them in sight of the Lake, and to the 

 borders of a river that runs out of it to the eastward ; there tliey attacked a small 

 village. The Natives (the Mationa) all had their throats cut and the cattle were 

 driven ofl'. Another very large village was near, so the Kubabees dared not tire, for fear 

 of being heard, so they only cut the throats of the people in the small village, and then 

 went quickly Ijack. They got, I hear, some vei-y pretty carosses and all the Bushmen 

 assure me that the unicorn is found here. I really begin to believe in the existence of 

 the beast, as reports of the animal have been received in many parts of Africa, 

 frequently in the North. Anyhow the skins which were stolen were quite new to all 

 those who saw them. The guide of the Kubabees was one of my many informants. 

 Last rainy season another party of 4 waggons and plenty of horses went to the Lake to 

 shoot elephant. I do not know whether they have been murdered there, or returned 

 some other way but nothing more has been heard of them. I could not find out, whether 

 they were Griquas or Europeans — one of the Bushmeii had got one of their iron cooking 

 pots, a broken one. — I would have pushed on with my 4 remaining Oxen that were in 

 travelling condition, but the next stage which intervened, between where I was, and the 

 Mationa, was said to be a still longer one than that which I had just come. It was 

 risking too much. My time was very limited, and as it is, after my return to my 

 waggons, I have come down at such a pace that my remaining oxen are quite unfit for 

 the shortest journey (I was so afraid of missing the ship that I expected). The rainy 

 season will now soon come on and in April thei'e will be water everywhere. My 

 remaining things I have divided in two parts, with one I have paid £100 of wages <fec. 

 to Hans (my head man) who wants to stay in the country, the other half I have given 

 to Andersson, who has entered into partnership with Hans, to trade in cattle and ivory. 

 Anders.son has been a right good fellow and has gone through very hard work. I have 



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