48 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



shoulders become galled ; thus I had to call a halt, 

 although no shelter was near to shield us from the 

 warring elements. I have beheld thunderstorms 

 in the Rocky Mountains, West Indies, and Malay 

 Archipelago, but never have I witnessed them so 

 terrific as in the interior of South Africa ; and I am 

 certain that in no other part of the world are they 

 so dangerous. And the whole animal creation seems 

 to be well aware of this ; for whether it be the 

 Kaffir or the ox, the elephant or the giraffe, all 

 equally appear to dread the tempest's violence, and 

 become for the time being so prostrated with fear 

 as to remain awe-stricken in the locality where they 

 have been overtaken, without one thought of seek- 

 ing shelter. Having upwards of a couple of hun- 

 dred-weight of gunpowder in my waggon, to have 

 it struck by the electric fluid would have been 

 certain destruction to all my belongings, so I took 

 the only precaution in my power, to prevent such 

 a catastrophe, viz. to unfasten the treck-tow (chain) 

 from the dissel-boom, so that that important portion 

 of my gear should not act as a conductor to the in- 

 flammable part of my load. In proportion to the 

 violence of these hurricanes, as short is their dura- 

 tion ; thus in an hour the storm had passed to 

 leeward, and nought remained to indicate its visit, 

 save an occasional distant flash of lightning and 

 the muttered deep intonation of the retreating 

 thunder. Soon the cattle were again made fast 



