222 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



scarcely seated myself beside the fire, when Isaac ap. 

 preached me with a slow, funereal step, and horror de- 

 picted in his face, and asked me if I had heard the 

 news. I replied, What news ? He went on to state 

 that on the preceding evening two men of the Baman- 

 gwato tribe had passed my wagons on their way to 

 Bakatla, to warn that tribe of the on-coming of the 

 cruel and warlike Matabili (whose powerful chief, 

 Moselekatse, has been so ably described in the pages 

 of my fellow-sportsman. Captain Harris). These they 

 represented as having a few days previously attacked 

 and plundered various Bechuana tribes to the north- 

 ward, and that they were now advancing by rapid 

 marches to devastate the country and murder the in- 

 habitants of these parts. 



This I at once knew to be a fabrication to prevent 

 my penetrating further, and I laughed at Isaac and told 

 him he had dreamed it ; to which he replied, " Yes, 

 you will not listen to my advice when you are warned 

 of danger, but both you and your men will one day ac- 

 knowledge the truth of my forebodings." I had con- 

 siderable difficulty in calming the minds of my follow- 

 ers, and prevailing on them to proceed further with me. 



In the afternoon we continued our journey to the 

 northward, through a country of increasing loveliness. 

 Beautifully wooded hills and valleys, captivating to the 

 sportsman's eye, stretched away on every side, with 

 rivulets of crystal waters in the valleys and the spoor 

 of large game very abundant. On the march my dogs 

 dashed up the wind, and in two minutes the peaceful 

 forest was disturbed by their united voices, angrily 

 barking around some animal which they had brought 

 to bay. Snatching up my rifle, I rushed to the scene 

 of conflict, and found them actively baying a fierce and 



