IN THE KOWIE BUSH 165 



path. Here is brilliant sunshine and the freshest air ; a yard 

 within the bush it is almost dark, the air stagnant and laden 

 with heavy odours. Bushbok, duyker, the lovely little bluebok, 

 jackals, wild dogs, baboons, wild cats, and leopards are found in 

 it. Once we came to a spot where one of the latter had killed 

 a buck; on following the trail a bush-buck was found, about 

 fifty yards away, under some thick scrub, one of the haunches 

 half-eaten. The remainder provided a welcome feast for our 

 ever-hungry dogs. Bird life in the bush was conspicuous by its 

 absence. Bee hunters, armed with axe, spade, and bucket, we 

 frequently met, their search for honey in hollow trees, old ant- 

 hills, and holes in the rock being apparently successful. The 

 bees, though small, made excellent honey. 



The white tents on the green grass, and the curling smoke as 

 it slowly rose from our pretty camp, formed indeed a pleasing 

 picture as we toiled home thoroughly tired out a promise of 

 rest and ample refreshment. As the sun disappeared behind the 

 mountains, and the moonbeams began to silver the higher trees 

 on the ridge beyond the river, the cooing of the numerous doves 

 ceased, and the hoarse bark of the baboon and bushbok became 

 fainter and fainter, as those animals returned, after visiting the 

 river, to the deeper recesses of the bush. After we had enjoyed 

 our frugal repast, and partially quenched the raging thirst with I 

 don't know how many cups of tea or coffee, and then taken our 

 places in a tent just large enough to hold the four, it was not 

 undisturbed repose which awaited us. This beautiful spot, 

 doubly so during the bright moonlight nights, was cursed with 

 what are commonly called "ticks," in millions. Hardly had we 

 arranged our weary limbs on the rugs, lit our pipes, and com- 

 menced to talk over the events of the day, when these brutes 

 appeared, crawling into the tent from every side, all fully intent 

 on filling their expansive bodies with our blood. How these 

 ticks live, and what they subsist on when no unfortunate biped 

 or quadruped is near, is indeed a puzzle ; but let man or beast 

 lie down on, or even pass through any part of this country, where 

 maybe no one has been before, and without loss of time these 

 little pests, some so small as to be almost invisible, appear with 

 wonderful speed, go straight for the intruder, and work their way 

 to any uncovered spot. It is much more than any one can do to 

 intercept them all, even in the brightest daylight ; they come in 



