SOUTHERN AFRICA. 157 



asleej). Ensconcing- himself behind his shield^ he made signs 

 to me to fire^ which I did into the middle of the party, at 

 the same moment springing- behind a tree which completely 

 screened me. Thus unceremoniously awakened, the three 

 ladies broke covert, roaring- in concert, and dashed into the 

 thick bushes, while we walked as fast as possible in the 

 opposite direction. In the course of a few minutes we heard 

 several discharg-es of musketry, and an infuriated rhinoceros, 

 streaming- with blood, rushed over the brow of the eminence 

 that we were ascending-^ and was within pistol shot before 

 we w ere aware of his approach. JNTo bush presenting* itself 

 behind which to hide, I threw ni}^ cap at him, and 'Ling-ap 

 striking' his buckler and shouting- with stentorian lungs, the 

 enrag-ed beast turned off. I saluted him from both barrels, 

 and he was immediately afterAvards overturned b}^ a running- 

 fire from the Hottentots, every one of whom I now saw had 

 left the wag'g-ons, at the mercy of the oxen, conduct for 

 which we reprimanded them severely, threatening- to with- 

 hold further supplies of ammunition. 



Three hours' travelling- between two rang-es of the Cashan 

 mountains, brought us to the Ooli river, a pretty little stream, 

 upon the further bank of which we halted. A party of 

 savages joined us, having feasted heartily upon the gnoo 

 killed yesterday; and as we did not require their services, 

 we sent them to eat up the rhinoceros, with injunctions to 

 return in the evening. The banks of the Ooli are precipitous, 

 and clothed with extensive mimosa groves, abounding with 

 wild buffaloes, pallahs, and guinea-fowl.* We made a large 

 bag of the latter, and obtained a supply of ostrich eggs. In 

 order to drive the elephants into the plain, preparatory to 

 hunting them the next day, we set fire to the grass, and moved 

 the camp to a more secure position, where the savages, who had 

 returned, assisted in fortifying our stockade against the lions. 



* Numida Meleagris. 



