60 EXPEDITION INTO 



took a iiortli-westerly direction throiig'li a park of mag'iii- 

 ficeiit caiiieltliorn trees^ many of which were g'roaning" under 

 the hug'e nests of the social grosbeak j whilst others were 

 decorated with green clusters of misletoe, the brig-ht scarlet 

 berries of which were hig'hl}^ ornamental. We soon per- 

 ceived larg-e herds of quag'g'as and brindled g-noos^ Avhich 

 continued to join each other, until the whole plain seemed 

 ali^'e. The clatter of their hoofs w'as perfectly astounding", 

 and I could compare it to nothing- but to the din of a 

 tremendous charg'e of cavalry, or the rushing- of a mighty 

 tempest. I could not estimate the accumulated numbers at 

 less than fifteen thousand j a g-reat extent of country being* 

 actually chequered black and white with their cong-reg'ated 

 masses. As the panic caused by the report of our rifles^ 

 extended, clouds of dust hovered over them j and the long- 

 necks of troops of ostriches were also to be seen, to\\'ering' 

 above the heads of their less g-ig-antic neig'hbours, and sailing- 

 past wdth astonishing- rapidit3\ Groups of purjile sassaybes, 

 and brilliant red and 3'ellow hartebeests, likewise lent their 

 aid to complete the picture, w hich must have been seen to 

 be properl}^ understood, and which beg-g-ars all attempt at 

 description. The savages kept in our wake, dexterously des- 

 patching- the wounded gnoos by a touch on the spine with 

 the point of an assagai, and instantly covering up the 

 carcases wdth bushes, to secure them from the voracit}^ of 

 the vultures, which hung about us like specks in the firma- 

 ment, and descended with the velocit}^ of lightning, as each 

 discharge of our artillery gave token of prey. As we pro- 

 ceeded, two strange figures were perceived standing under 

 the shade of a tree ; these we instantly knew to be elands,* 

 the savages at the -same moment exclaiming- ^\ ith evident 

 delight, InipoofOy Impoofo, and pressing our horses to the 

 utmost speed, we found ourselves for the first time at the 



* Boselai)hus Oreiis. Delineated in the Portraits of Game and Wild Animals 

 of Southern Africa. 



