46 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



whither I had wandered ; but the view from this hill did 

 not help to elucidate matters, endless forests stretching 

 away on every side without a mark to assist my memo- 

 ry. I now resolved to seek no longer for my ruffianly 

 Hottentots, but to retrace my spoor to the water I had 

 discovered on the preceding evening, and halt there for 

 a day until the horses should sufficiently recover their 

 strength to carry us back to the wagons. By adhering 

 to the horses' tracks, I reached the water at an early 

 hour, and here I discovered the fresh tracks of the Hot- 

 tentots on the top of our horses' spoor of the preceding 

 evening. I had, however, resolved not to ride, another 

 yard after them ; I accordingly off-saddled, and remain- 

 ed there for the remainder of the day. In the vicinity 

 of the water we discovered the spot where the Hotten- 

 tots had slept during the night. Although possessed 

 of flint and steel, they had not kindled a fire, having 

 nevertheless collected fuel for that purpose previous to 

 our arrival on the preceding evening. This, as I after- 

 ward learned from themselves, was to prevent our dis- 

 covering their position, in case we had returned that 

 evening. 1 spent most of the day in endeavoring to 

 make fire, which I failed to accomplish for want of tin- 

 der. This was extremely annoying, for I had brought 

 along with me both tea and coffee, as also a kettle, and 

 a haunch of springbok. 



On the morning of the 26th we cast loose our horses, 

 and proceeded to consume raw meat and water. While 

 thus breakfasting, a pair of superb roan antelopes ap- 

 proached the water, advancing within easy range before 

 they noticed us. We saddled up and rode for the wag- 

 ons, which we reached in the afternoon, having ofi"-sad- 

 dled for an hour by the way. I found the wagons as I 

 had left them, as also the savages, who had fortunately 



