SOUTH AFRICA FIFTY YEARS AGO 87 



the camp fires dull ; in this way, too, you learn more of the 

 country through which you are travelling. We had pottered 

 about, shot a giraffe, and some smaller game, when accident- 

 ally we lighted upon a herd of elephants. Now you very 

 seldom come across elephants by chance ; you have nearly 

 always to follow them for miles from the water ; but here they 

 were, and eight fine bulls too nothing very large in tusks, 

 but all good. Though startled, they stood and fronted us. 

 We each took one of the flankers, firing at the point of the 

 shoulder. With a flourish of trumpets the whole eight charged 

 in a crescent it was a grand sight we turned and galloped 

 right and left, the bulls pressing after Murray, and in their 

 course driving up an old mahoho, who puffed and snorted, 

 and putting on full steam managed at last to get clear, in great 

 alarm. We only bagged a couple ; in after years with more 

 knowledge I should have got at least four single-handed. 



The season was drawing on, and we set our heads south- 

 ward and westward towards Mabotse, and, shaking the dear 

 old Doctor and Mrs. Livingstone by the hand, went down to the 

 Colony, I to refit for next year, Murray to return to England. 

 I should have managed very well with the stores I had, but 

 from December to April you cannot keep your horses alive 

 the horse sickness kills every one. This mysterious illness, 

 though an epidemic at the Cape, is endemic through the old 

 hunting grounds. It is said to be peripneumonia, and to arise 

 from the rank vegetation springing up after the first rains ; but 

 I think some other explanation of its cause than this must be 

 found, as the horses suffered just the same once when I was 

 crossing the Bakalahari desert rather too early in the season, 

 for I lost six in nine days. Bleeding to exhaustion seems the 

 only remedy, and one or two I certainly managed to pull 

 through by opening the veins at both sides of their necks 

 at once, and letting the blood run till I could push them down 

 with my hand. Had it not been for this we should never 

 have taken the trouble of the long journey to and fro, but have 

 remained quiet for the hot months, and then resumed the 

 campaign when the weather became cooler. 



