110 BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. 



grass springs up, and causes the whole plain to look glassy 

 and brilliant, much like a vast green velvet carpet. The 

 antelopes scent the fragrance from afar, and come many 

 miles to graze ; they then fall easy victims to the unerring 

 aim of the Bushman's arrow or the Dutchman's rifle. 



The air in this neighbourhood was particularly balmy 

 and pure, cooled by its transit over the high peaks of the 

 Draakerisberg, that already bore traces of snow in many 

 parts ; little cascades could be seen glistening like silver- 

 wire in the different kloofs or ravines that were formed 

 by the spurs of the mountains. These ravines were well 

 wooded ; many fine trees grew in them, the underwood 

 being thick and matted, as is usually the case in Africa, 

 affording a secure retreat to some angry old bull-buffalo, 

 an exile from his family. It is well to have one's weapons 

 and nerves in order, if this old hermit is to be bearded 

 in his den. 



Here also bush-buck, and very many of the feathered 

 tribe are found, the latter having brilliancy of plumage in 

 place of the gift of song. A most useful thing to have in 

 this country is a field-telescope, as it enables one to obtain 

 a good view of all the distant details, and thereby fre- 

 quently saves one a journey after imaginary animals. 



The Boers, however, made out everything wonderfully 

 well with the naked eye ; they had rules that experience 

 had taught them; and these rules almost supplied the 

 place of the " far-seer," as they call the telescope. 



"What is there?" one of the Boers would exclaim, 

 pointing to an object about four miles distant, and on a 

 slight elevation. Before I had obtained the correct focus 



