

AN INSPECTION. 195 



quantity of honey. A further reason, I might add, 

 stimulated me to desire to make this interesting 

 locality a halting-place, viz. that it was long the 

 head-quarters of that greatest of all South African 

 Nimrods, Gordon Cumming. 



The next morning I devoted to examining the 

 horses as to their condition and fitness for the more 

 trying ordeal of hunting big game, such as elephants, 

 rhinoceros, etc. The inspection was most satis- 

 factory, for all were as hard as nails, although 

 possibly a little low in flesh. However, this last 

 defect could easily be remedied by giving them a 

 week's rest in the first good grass country we 

 reached ; but it was more satisfactory than anything 

 else to find that not one of our stud had an 

 abrasion of the skin, let alone a sore back. For 

 this immunity from a misfortune far too common 

 in this part of the world, and most difficult to 

 cure when contracted, I have to thank the saddler 

 who supplied me with all my horse gear. His 

 manufactures have, in consequence, become so 

 popular in the colony that many of the irregular 

 frontier forces use no other. Yoke-keys, strops, 

 yokes, and treck-tows had now to be overhauled ; 

 but as Cigar could do this as well as myself, and, 

 further, see the hubs of the wheels well supplied 

 with antifriction grease, I mounted my mare, took 

 my Tolley Express and rode forth, for the double 

 purpose of finding meat and seeking adventure. 



