224 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



ests since I had crossed the range of the Kurrichane 

 Mountains ; but, throughout my career in the forests 

 of the interior, my attention was necessarily so taken 

 up with the pursuit of larger, and to me more interest- 

 ing objects of the chase, that I could rarely bestow 

 upon the feathered creation more than a short and pass- 

 ing glance of admiration. Having ascended to the 

 summit of the highest mountain of the chain, I obtain- 

 ed a glorious view of the surrounding country. It was 

 truly a fair and boundless prospect ; beautifully wood- 

 ed plains and mountains stretched away on every side 

 to an amazing distance, until the vision was lost among 

 the faint blue outlines of the distant mountain ranges. 

 Throughout all this country, and vast tracts beyond, 

 I had the satisfaction to reflect that a never-ending suc- 

 cession of herds of every species of noble game which 

 the hunter need desire pastured there in undisturbed 

 security ; and as I gazed, I felt that it was all my own, 

 and that I at length possessed the undisputed sway 

 over a forest, in comparison with which the tame and 

 herded narrow bounds of the wealthiest European 

 sportsman sink into utter insignificance. 



The succeeding day we entered the gorge, and 

 wound along the margin of the stream, which danced 

 and sparkled down its abrupt and rocky channel, form- 

 ing a pleasing succession of babbling streams and foam- 

 ing waterfalls. As we advanced further up the gorge 

 the path became extremely contracted, there being 

 barely suflSicient room to admit of the wagons passing 

 between the steep and rooky brink of the stream, and 

 the rugged base of the lofty, inaccessible mountain 

 which towered on our left. On the opposite side, the 

 mountain forming the eastern bulwark of the pass rose 

 precipitately from the water's edge, presenting an im- 



