A 2V UNINHABITED COUNTRY. 117 



r outspanning locality as it has ever been my misfor- 



:! tune to be forced to remain in. Jackals and hyaenas 



( were numerous in the vicinity, and frequently gave 



evidence by .their various calls that they were not far 



\ distant from us. As none of our bullocks had been 



\ previously in the lion veldt, or even in a district 



i where these pests of the stock-farmer exist, it made 



j them all excessively uneasy, prevented them lying 



| down, and on two occasions induced an attempt at 



a stampede, which was only frustrated by all hands 



I turning out, reassuring them by our voices, and at 



the same time keeping large fires burning on both 



sides of the restless beasts. 



My servants thought, and so did I, that water 

 was not very far distant, but the mischief was, none 

 knew where to go and seek it. Several attempts 

 were made, but all proved futile, thus the morning 

 star was welcomed with almost inexpressible pleasure. 

 When the grey dawn had succeeded in estab- 

 lishing itself, we found that we were not so badly off 

 as had formerly been conceived, so half an hour at 

 most saw us leaving the bush and ascending the 

 side of a magnificent extent of rolling veldt. After 

 a short search in daylight, I found the lost trail, 

 which, after seeing my belongings regain, I started 

 on horseback with the hope of coming across some 

 natives. In every direction evidences that cultiva- 

 tion had once existed here were apparent ; but I 

 traversed several miles before finding anything to 



