132 ADVENTUEES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



spring, making the water fly as he pitched into it. 

 S(.veral of the dogs entered after him, but immediately 

 retreated, barking over their shoulders in great fear. 

 Thus I lost this most noble lion, which, with better 

 management, I might easily have slain. I ought to 

 have approached him on foot, leading my steed, and I 

 ought not to have laid open the ground of letreat. 



On the 27th we trekked to Chouaney, which we 

 reached at sundown, and remained there to trade next 

 day. I obtained from Sichely two natives to accom- 

 pany me to the Limpopo, their pay being a musket 

 each. I got also from the chief twelve elephants' teeth, 

 several very fine karosses, native arms, and other curi- 

 osities. 



About mid-day we marched, and slept near the Ngot- 

 wani, along whose banks my course lay for the Lim- 

 popo. The country through which fee Ngotwani twines 

 is soft and sandy, and in general covered with dense 

 thorny jungle, which greatly impeded our progress, hav- 

 ing constantly to cut a passage before the wagons could 

 advance. Several lions commenced roaring around us 

 soon after the sun went down. 



On the evening of the next day I had a glorious row 

 with an old bull buffalo : he was the only large bull in 

 a fine herd of cows. I found their spoor while walking 

 ahead of the wagons, and, following it up, came upon 

 a part of the herd feeding quietly in a dense part of the 

 forest. I fired my first shot at a cow, which I wovmded. 

 The other half of the herd then came up right in my 

 face, within six yards of me. They would have tram- 

 pled on me if I had not sung out in their faces and 

 turned them. I selected the old bull, and sent a bullet 

 into his shoulder. The herd then crashed along through 

 the jungle to my right, but he at once broke away frorc 



