ARRIVAL AT BOOBY. 53 



the ridge, the " Old Gray" refused to proceed further, 

 when, dismounting, I resumed the chase on foot, but 

 failed to fall in with my after-rider, who eventually 

 brought the koodoo to a stand. Retracing my steps, I 

 directed my attention to my poor " Old Gray," which 

 was evidently attacked with the African distemper. 

 With considerable difficulty I brought him to ihe camp, 

 where I instantly bled him, but to no purpose, and in 

 another hour the "gallant gray" lay down and "stretch- 

 ed his" stiff limbs to rise no more." At night the lion 

 feasted on him, and when he was full the leopard and 

 hyaenas finished him. 



On the morning of the 3d I left this fountain and 

 held for Booby, which I reached at mid-day on the 5th. 

 On my way thither we one evening fell in with a large 

 herd of elands, out of which I captured a first-rate bull. 

 I was kindly welcomed by Caachy, now the chief of 

 Booby, the former chief having been blown up in my 

 absence as already mentioned. Caachy informed me 

 that my runaway Hottentots had reached his kraal, and 

 were very much exhausted by their march. He had as- 

 sisted them with corn, and passed them on toBakatla. 

 They informed this chief that I had dismissed them from 

 my service, having engaged other servants at Baman- 

 gwato. I remained at Booby till mid-day on the 7th, 

 and obtained several very fine karosses and other native 

 curiosities in barter from the tribe. The king suppli- 

 ed me liberally with boyalwa, or native beer, which I 

 thought most excellent, but found that it possessed a 

 soporific tendency, inducing me on one occasion to lie 

 down and sleep for half the day, while the king and his 

 nobility were waiting to trade with me. A large body 

 of the natives accompanied me from Booby, some of 

 them leading pack-oxen, which were sent by Caachv to 



