162 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



packed with all necessaries in the way of food, cooking 

 utensils, tent, and rugs, my companion and I took our places, 

 the foreloper charge of the leading oxen, and away we went. 

 Lying at full length, level with the top of the cart, it was a 

 wonder that we were not shaken off during that night's rough 

 journey; but, having travelled for several nights before, I, 

 after a short look at the brilliant stars above, was very soon 

 sleeping soundly, only waking at daybreak on arrival at our 

 friend's farmhouse. Greatly refreshed, but very wet from the 

 heavy dew, we were quite ready thoroughly to enjoy the hot 

 coffee prepared by our kind hosts. The farm was very 

 prettily placed on the slope of a hill, and surrounded by 

 large gardens and extensive orange plantations. The giant 

 trees were laden with golden fruit, and perfumed the air far 

 and wide. 



After a short halt the oxen were once more inspanned, and 

 we started down-hill to the Kowie River. This for the equili- 

 brium of the cart was a most trying journey ; we preferred 

 to walk rather than risk the bumping over rocks and bushes, 

 very frequently on one wheel only. At last we arrived at 

 our destination, and made a camp close to the Kowie River, 

 in a small and beautiful green valley. Here another Scotch cart 

 joined us, bringing two farmers and their dogs. A pack of ten, 

 in all sizes and every variety of breed, they all were painfully 

 thin and hungry-looking, but said to be good at following and 

 rushing a herd of buffalo, at singling out a bull and bringing 

 him to bay. He, when hard pressed, puts his hind quarters 

 into a thorn bush and defends himself against any number of 

 dogs, thereby giving time for the rifle to approach. This, the 

 supposed best and only method of hunting the buffalo here, 

 we were, unfortunately, not to see crowned with success. 



My gun-carrier, a woolly-headed Kaffir picked up on the road, 

 whose uncovered locks often had to be disentangled from the 

 thorny bushes, was arrayed in an old sack with holes for arms 

 and neck, and trousers so wonderfully patched that to tell original 

 stuff from new additions was simply impossible. He was a great 

 smoker, and very keen, thanks probably to visions of glorious 

 feasts on buffalo steaks and other dainties. 



A visit was first paid to some water-holes, far away in the 

 bush, to ascertain whether they had lately been visited for drink- 



