196 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



To the north, at the comparatively short distance 

 of four or five miles, was situated a lovely ridge of 

 hills, whose greatest elevation did not exceed seven 

 or eight hundred feet. The shadows of the clouds, 

 just as you see them in bonnie Scotland, glided with 

 rapid steps over their surface, which was rendered 

 most attractive by the bright green and golden 

 colour of the brae's surface. Something in their out- 

 line or repose reminded me of beautiful Malvern, to 

 my mind the most charming watering-place in all 

 England ; so I directed my course towards them. 

 For the first mile I was able to pursue my way at a 

 sharp canter, but afterwards was compelled to pull 

 up, for the surface of the country was completely 

 undermined with meerkat holes. In whatever 

 direction I turned my eyes, there they sat, those 

 " queer wee beasties,". looking exactly like charred 

 stumps of trees ; for, although their colour is a warm 

 brown, at a short distance say a hundred yards 

 they appear to be black. They are very curious 

 and interesting little creatures, and are gifted with 

 the most imperturbable expression of countenance, 

 that cannot fail to make the observer smile. Their 

 position, when sitting up, is stiff as a ramrod, and I 

 quite perpendicular. However, the moment they 

 consider an aggressor has approached sufficiently 

 close to imperil their safety, apparently without an 

 effort they take a surprising header into their 

 burrow. For this leap they apparently make no 





