98 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



Zoological Gardens, when numbers of cold-blooded 

 wretches will be heard expressing their desire to 

 witness a timid, almost-frightened-to-death pigeon 

 or rabbit meet its untimely end in the folds of a boa- 

 constrictor. 



While my people were trecking for the next 

 water, which I was informed would have to be 

 drawn out of pits sunk some distance beneath the 

 surface of the soil, I took my bay horse and made 

 a wide detour, with the double view of getting 

 acquainted with the country and a knowledge of 

 what game was to be found in the vicinity. Soon I 

 discovered that information on the latter point was 

 not likely to be obtained, for the brushwood, far 

 and near, had been trampled down and torn off by 

 herds of innumerable cattle. After having ridden* 

 close on a dozen miles, I found a vley, rocky and. 

 precipitous on one side, but tramped into a perfect 

 quagmire on the reverse. Here were several Baka-; 

 lihari, one of whom could speak a little English 

 from him I learned that the immense droves whicl 

 were now passing and repassing to and from thi.v 

 watering-place were the property of Monkoroane 

 Montsioa, and adjoining chiefs, and which had beei 

 driven thus far to the westward to prevent thei 

 being seized or " jumped" by the hordes of free 

 booting Boers at that time carrying on a war c 

 annexation and extermination against all thos 

 natives who had remained loyal to the British 



