08 • EXPEDITION INTO 



upon tliem ns tlie}^ aih-aiice^ and preserving- also a larg'e quan- 

 tity for future euierg-encies^ finds in the insect army a ready 

 and ample compensation for the wild g-ame which has been 

 compelled to abandon the ravaged pastures of the wilder- 

 ness. Their hereditary enemies are also numerous ; almost 

 every animal^ domestic as Avell as wild^ contributes to their 

 destruction — i'owh, horses^ oxen^ sheep^ and antelopes^ alike 

 swallowing" them with the gTeatest avidity. 



The nig-ht of the 17th was rain}^ and tempestuous; and 

 the lionS; never foiling- to take advantag'e of such an op- 

 portunity^ proAvled round the camp^ roaring- in concert with 

 the sighing* of the reeds^ which so alarmed the cattle that 

 they thrice broke loose^ and were recovered A\dth difficulty. 

 There was nothing-^ however, to prevent our resuming- our 

 journey in the morning-, the thirsty earth having- completely 

 absorbed the deluge that had fallen. Our road lay across 

 a plain, with isolated g-roves of acacia, and we frequently 

 passed over a solid pavement of g-ranite. Visiting- the scene 

 of the g-emsbok's humiliation, and searching- among-st a low 

 belt of wooded hillocks, which skirted a part of the road, I 

 found a fine fat eland, which I dro^e into the plain, and, 

 assisted by Richardson, brought up to the wag-g-ons, and 

 then despatched, the caravan being- immediately halted. 

 We frequently afterwards adopted the plan, which saved 

 the trouble of carrying- the meat from a distance ; and the 

 unfortunate animal once blown, Avas much more manao-eable 

 than a Smithfield ox. 



Andries having- donned his best apparel, here proposed to 

 proceed on horseback to Moseg-a, in order to apprize the 

 king- of our approach — an offer which we g'ladl}^ accepted. 

 From this point, the summits of distant rang-es of hills could 

 be disting'uished, across extensive plains covered with grass 

 waving- to the breeze, which stretched away to the northward 

 and eastward, far as the eye could reach. On the left, the 



