3o6 



A Breath from the Veldt 



behind our horses without our seeing her, her escape being all the more easy 

 as we had no dog to force her out of the cover. We went back and beat the 

 strip where she was last seen, keeping a sharp look-out, though not expecting 

 her to charge without first warning us of her whereabouts ; but we never saw 

 her again. Shortly after this we saw a fair amount of perfectly fresh buffalo 

 spoor, and I much regretted that the Matabele row obliged my hunter to 

 return now to his family ; for we might have had some good sport here if there 

 had been time. Mid-day saw us once more at the fontein " nameless here for 

 evermore," and though it was a big trek I thought I could find my way alone 

 hunting parallel to the track to Michelsfontein ; so off I set. Towards evening 

 I came to some low hills where there were great numbers of guinea-fowl, when 

 a loud roaring bark attracted my attention. It was a koodoo bull that was 

 giving tongue — the only time when I ever heard one bellow — and shortly 

 afterwards I saw him disappearing over the ridge. After this I wandered about 

 for a long time till it was dark, knowing that I was not far from the water ; 

 and as soon as the sun set a friendly tree enabled me to see the light of our 

 camp fires and so find my way home ; and here as I oflf-saddled our old friend, 

 Oom Roelef's brother-in-law, Cornelius Basadanote the elder, whose boy I had 

 treated for fever, rose from the fire where he had been sitting and shook me 

 warmly by the hand. He was glad to hear of our good sport, and thanked me 

 very nicely for the medicines left for his son, which had completely cured him. 

 He himself had been very successful in the hunting, and on his invitation I 

 went next morning to see his collection, and was greeted with a most cordial 

 reception by his women -folk. The camp presented the appearance of a 

 miniature zoological garden. In addition to the necessary horses, dogs, and 

 fowls, which seemed to roam at large in every direction, about twenty-two 

 beautiful Burchell's zebras, tied to little posts, were complacently munching 

 their hay. Besides these were two little sable antelopes, with the softest 

 eyes and most fascinating manners ; whilst two young spotted hysnas and 

 four hunting -dog puppies peeped from the shadows of a roughly -devised 

 kennel made of branches. The whole scene was so thoroughly African that I 

 made several sketches of the camp and its surroundings, two of which I present 

 to my readers. The afternoon was spent in pursuit of guinea-fowls, in which 

 Gentleman assisted me as gamekeeper. Sitting on a hill -top I presently 

 discovered the main troop as they neared the water for their afternoon 

 drink, and could hear the old cocks screeching forth their inharmonious 

 notes ; and in about ten minutes I had killed no less than fourteen of these 



