. 



AYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



CHAPTER I. 



A DANGEROUS RIDE INTRODUCTION tO CIGAR. 



IF the moon is in the right quarter, always select 

 the night, if possible, for making your most arduous 

 and waterless trecks. The reason for doing this is 

 that that portion of the twenty-four hours is the 

 coolest, and in consequence the cattle get over the 

 ground with greater celerity. The drivers and 

 attendants seem to enjoy these " moonlight flittings," 

 for on such occasions they are ever most communi- 

 cative ; so, if one of them has a good story to tell, 

 and your march is progressing favourably, get him on 

 the waggon-box beside you, when, with a little coax- 

 ing, you may hear the whole yarn from start to 

 finish. It was under exactly such circumstances 

 that Cigar, my former Hottentot guide and com- 

 panion, whom I now expect soon to join me, told 

 me the following. But, before saying more about 

 this remarkable person, possibly I had better tell 

 my readers how I became acquainted with him. 



