SOUTHERN AFRICA. 187 



CHAPTEE XXVI. 



EXCURSION TO THE EASTWARD OF THE LIMPOPO^ AND 



JOURNEY ACROSS THE CASHAN MOUNTAINS TO THE 



NORTHWARD. 



The perils of wag-g-on-travelling" were now so materially 

 increased by the rug-g-ed character of the country, that in 

 order to follow the march of a retreating* herd of elephants^ 

 it was found necessary to leave the camp standing" — a 

 measure to which we were further driven by a positive 

 refusal on the part of the guides to accompany us to the 

 eastward of the Limpopo ) alleg'ing- their apprehension of 

 hostilities from Ding-aan as a reason for their non-compliance 

 in this instance with the king-'s orders to escort us wherever 

 we pleased. Crossing- the river, therefore, we skirted the 

 mountain range on horseback, arriving", at the close of the 

 second day's hunting", below its highest point j the sources 

 of the Bekane and Umpeban here marking the site of the 

 last great battle fought between the armies of Moselekatse 

 and Dingaan, in which that of the latter was completely 

 routed. These rivers speedily become confluent ', and after 

 describing a nearly semicircular course, join the Limpopo a 

 considerable distance to the northward of the range, where 

 the country assumes a more rugged character than ever, 

 being intersected by detached ston}^ hills and mountain 

 chains of barren and forbidding aspect. To the southward 

 it becomes very open and level, with occasional clumps of 

 forest ] but although the black soil continued, the vegetation 

 was becoming visibly less and less abundant. 



