A Breath from the Veldt 



119 



northward from the Zoutpansberg over the desolate and waterless thorn forest 

 that lies between these fine mountains and the Limpopo. The climate is said 

 to be extremely unhealthy, and no one dares to live there, though at Brack 

 River hard by there is a miserable sort of store where a poor fever-stricken 

 wretch of a German ekes out a miserable existence. When I saw him, he was 

 dead white, and looked (as they say in Scotland) as if he were " dying on his 

 feet." He had already lost his wife and three children, and was annually a 







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victim to severe attacks of fever, but nothing would induce him to leave. He 

 should stick there, he said, until his time came. One can hardly understand 

 how any human being could endure such an existence, hardly a soul to speak 

 to for five months in the year ; yet he will, no doubt, linger on there in solitary 

 wretchedness till the Master calls him away. 



The " Quay " bird, or Quay vogel of the Dutch, becomes very abundant 

 from Brack River northwards. It has a cockatoo -like appearance and a 

 monotonous cry. In the early mornings these birds come in large numbers 

 to the pools to drink in company with mouse birds, bush doves, francolins, and 



