256 



A Breath from the Veldt 



became so thick, and we got so frequently hung up, that our progess was 

 slow and rough, so I thought it would be better to get the old man up 

 on Brenke, whose paces were more comfortable. And so it proved to be. 

 Our progress was at best very slow, the donkeys, even with their short rest, 

 not having recovered much in condition ; still by the afternoon we were 

 winding our way along the base of the precipices on the summits of which, 

 perched like little birds' nests, were the straw-thatched rock dwellings of the 

 Shangans. It was a most beautiful and picturesque site for a village. Many of 

 the huts were placed on isolated pinnacles, the ascent to whose summit looked 

 impossible, yet there were to be seen the natives, looking like little black ants 

 as they climbed up the rocks to their mountain homes. 



Big trees, dense vegetation, and beautiful scenery now took the place of the 





^ !fejfe- Jfei5? 



'">■ 



SABLE ANTELOPES FEEDING^ 



barren and desolate Thirstland ; and to say nothing of the advantage of a few 

 days' rest, this was a beautiful spot in which to study the real wild natives at 

 home. As we moved along through the high grass at the base of the 

 mountains we came across several little family groups of women and children, 

 either pounding mealies or engaged in other work ; but the moment they saw 

 us they took to their heels and ran screeching away, being obviously un- 

 accustomed to the sight of a white man. In many cases, however, curiosity got 

 the better of fear ; looking up the hill-side, you could see here and there a 

 little black poll curiously peering round the side of a bush, and disappearing 

 immediately it was noticed. 



A good water-hole, with lovely blue water-lilies floating on the surface, 

 was now within sight, and there we outspanned, directly under the clifl^s and 



1 I would call the naturalist's attention to the formation adopted by wild asses and antelopes when feeding. 

 The former, whilst moving slowly, maintain a crescent, whilst the latter keep in a string. 



