TREKKING THROUGH THE THIRST 181 



clouds from the dry earth, and soon covered all of us; in 

 the distance herds of zebra and hartebeest gazed at us 

 as we passed, and we saw the old spoor of rhino, beasts 

 we hoped to avoid, as they often charge such a caravan. 



Slowly the shadows lengthened; the light waned, the 

 glare of the white, dusty plain was softened, and the bold 

 outlines of the distant mountains grew dim. Just before 

 nightfall we halted on the further side of a dry watercourse. 

 The safari came up singing and whistling, and the men 

 put down their loads, lit fires, and with chatter and laugh- 

 ter prepared their food. The crossing was not good, the 

 sides of the watercourse being steep; and each wagon was 

 brought through by a double span, the whips cracking 

 lustily as an accompaniment to the shouts of the drivers, as 

 the thirty oxen threw their weight into the yokes by which 

 they were attached to the long trek tow. The horses were 

 fed. We had tea, with bread and cold meat and a most 

 delicious meal it was and then lay dozing or talking be- 

 side the bush-fires. At half-past eight, the moon having 

 risen, we were off again. The safari was still in high spirits, 

 and started with the usual chanting and drumming. 



We pushed steadily onward across the plain, the dust 

 rising in clouds under the spectral moonlight. Sometimes 

 we rode, sometimes we walked to ease our horses. The 

 Southern Cross was directly ahead, not far above the hori- 

 zon. Higher and higher rose the moon, and brighter grew 

 the flood of her light. At intervals the barking call of zebras 

 was heard on either hand. It was after midnight when 

 we again halted. The porters were tired, and did not sing 

 as they came up; the air was cool, almost nipping, and 

 they at once huddled down in their blankets, some of them 

 building fires. We, the white men, after seeing our horses 

 staked out, each lay down in his overcoat or jacket and 

 slicker, with his head on his saddle, and his rifle beside 

 him, and had a little over two hours' sleep. At three we 

 were off again, the shivering porters making no sound as 

 they started; but once under way the more irrepressible 



