SOUTHERN AFRICA. 55 



ally presented the appearance of a moving- mass of g-ame. 

 Theii' incredible numbers so impeded their prog-ress^ that I 

 had no difficulty in closings with them^ dismounting- as 

 opportunity offered, firing- both barrels of my rifle into the 

 retreating- phalanx, and leaving- the ground strewed with the 

 slain. Still unsatisfied, I could not resist the temptation 

 of mixing- Avith the fugitives, loading- and firing-, until my 

 jaded horse suddenly exhibited S} mptoms of distress, and 

 shortly afterwards was unable to move. At this moment I 

 discovered that I had dropped my pocket compass, and 

 being- unwilling- to lose so valuable an ally, I turned loose 

 my steed to g-raze, and retraced my steps several miles A\ith- 

 out success ; the prints of my horse's hoofs being- at leng-th 

 lost in those of the countless herds which had crossed the 

 plain. Completely absorbed in the chase, I had retained but 

 an imperfect idea of my locality ; but returning- to my horse, 

 I led him in what I believed to be a north-easterly direc- 

 tion, knowing-, from a sketch of the country which had been 

 g'iven me by our excellent friend Mr. Moffat, and ^hich, 

 tog-ether with drawing- materials, I carried about me, that 

 that course Avould eventually bring- me to the Meritsane. 

 After drag-g-ing- my weary horse nearly the whole of the day 

 under a burning- sun, my flag-g-iug- spirits A^ere at leng'th 

 revived by the appearance of several villag-es. Under other 

 circumstances, I should have avoided intercourse with their 

 inhospitable inmates, but d3'ing- with thirst, I eag-erly entered 

 each in succession, and to my inexpressible disappointment, 

 found them deserted. The same evidence existino- of their 

 having* been recently inhabited, I shot a hartebeest, in the 

 hope that the smell of meat would as usual attract some 

 strag-g"ler to the spot. But no. The keen-sig-hted vultures, 

 that were my only attendants, descended in multitudes, 

 but no woolly-headed negro appeared to dispute the prey. 

 In many of the trees I observed larg-e thatched houses re- 



