SOUTHERN AFRICA. 95 



winding- among* the liills^ constantly assured by the gTiides 

 tliat the kraal at which they had resolved we should pass 

 the nio'ht, was close at hand, but still not reachino- it until 

 we had travelled full thirty miles from Moseg'a^ b}^ which 

 time it was fairly- dark. At last we perceived fires in the 

 valley beneath us, and soon drew up under the fence of a 

 little villa g'C; constructed as usual on a slope. 



Scarcely were the oxen unyoked, when the clouds, which 

 had been collecting- for some hours, burst at once upon 

 our devoted heads. Deafening- claps of thunder pealed 

 above us, preceded by forked and vivid lig'htning', which 

 cast upon the surrounding- landscape a lurid and almost 

 incessant g'lare. The windows of heaven Avere literally 

 opened, and a pelting- pitiless delug-e descended, which in 

 an instant exting'uished the fire, and put an end to all 

 culinar}" operations. We, however, succeeded in obtaining* 

 a little milk from the villag'e, and in a few minutes Mor- 

 pheus strewing' his poppies over us, we ceased to trouble 

 our heads about the state of the weather, or our soaking* 

 supperless condition. 



A tranquil morning* succeeded the most tempestuous of 

 nig'hts. The inhabitants of the kraal AAere anxious that we 

 should shoot a rhinoceros, which they pretended to have seen 

 in a thick thorn jung'le at no g'reat distance ; but althoug'h 

 we sacrificed one-half of our raiment in the attempt to 

 oblig'e them, the animal was no where to be found. The 

 road still wound among* the mountains ; three hours' travel- 

 ling* brought us to a kraal at no g'reat distance from the 

 ancient town of Kurrichane, in which Mr. Campbell found 

 the Baharootzi about ten years ag*o. This once populous 

 city was destro3'ed by Moselekatse, and the inhabitants 

 scattered in various directions. Here the g'uides declared it 

 was the king*'s command that we should tarry until the fol- 

 lo^^■ing' day, A\hen he expected to see us. But as the ro^^al 



