242 , ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



an elephant hunting expedition in their blackest col« 

 ors, kindly agreed to favor me with his help and com- 

 pany on my lonely trip. My sojourn in Colesberg re- 

 duced me considerably, and I was glad once more to 

 breathe the fresh air of the country. We got clear of 

 Colesberg at about 9 A.M., and commenced our march 

 over the country I have so oiten marked with my wheel- 

 tracks, and which my reader must now be fully ac- 

 quainted with. On my way I completely recruited my 

 oxen and stud, and prepared myself to take the field 

 with an immense pacli: of stout, serviceable dogs. I 

 also engaged as after-rider a Bushman named Booi. 



The game became plentiful in about ten days after 

 we left Colesberg, but when we came to the Vet River 

 I beheld with astonishment and delight decidedly one 

 of the most wonderful displays which I had witnessed 

 during my varied sporting career in Southern Africa 

 On my right and left the plain exhibited one purple 

 mass of graceful blesboks, which extended without a 

 break as far as my eyes could strain : the depth of their 

 vast legions covered a breadth of about six hundred 

 yards. On pressing upon them, they cantered along 

 before me, not exhibiting much alarm, taking care, how- 

 ever, not to allow me to ride within at least four hund- 

 red yards of them. On, on I rode, intensely excited 

 with the wondrous scene before me, and hoped at length 

 to get to windward of at least some portion of the end- 

 less living mass which darkened the plain, but in vaui. 

 Like squadrons of dragoons, the entire breadth of thi.< 

 countless herd held on their forward course as if awaro 

 of my intention, and resolved not to allow mo to weath- 

 er them. 



At length I determined to play upon their ranks, 

 and, pressing my horse to his utmost speed, dashed foi- 



