SUBLIME SCENERY. 279 t 



having been rationed upon very tough old rhinoceros for 

 several days past. It was a cloudy morning, and soon 

 after starting it came on to rain heavily. I, however, 

 held on, skirting a fine, well-wooded range of mount- 

 ains, and after riding several miles I shot a zebra. 

 Having covered the carcass well over with branches to 

 protect it from the vultures, I returned to camp, and, 

 inspanning my wagons, took it up on the march. We 

 continued trekking on until sundown, when we started 

 an immense herd of buffaloes, into which I stalked and 

 shot a huge old bull. 



Our march this evening was through the most beau- 

 tiful country I had ever spen in Africa. We skirted 

 along an endless range of well-wooded stony mountains 

 lying on our left, while to our right the country at first 

 sloped gently off, and then stretched away into a level 

 green forest (occasionally interspersed with open glades), 

 boundless as the ocean. This green forest was, how- 

 ever, relieved in one direction by a chain of excessively 

 bold, detached, well-wooded, rocky, pyramidal mount- 

 ains, which stood forth in grand relief. In advance the 

 picture was bounded by forest and mountain ; one bold 

 acclivity, in shape of a dome, standing prominent among 

 its fellows. It was a lovely evening: the sky, over- 

 cast and gloomy, threw an interesting, wild, mysterious 

 coloring over the landscape. I gazed forth upon the 

 romantic scene before me with intense delight, and 

 felt melancholy and sorrowful at passing so fleetingly 

 through it, and could not help shouting out as I 

 marched along, <' Where is the coward who would not 

 dare to die for such a land ?" 



In the morning we held for a fountain some miles 

 ahead in a gorge in the mountains. As we approached 

 the fountain, and were passing close in under a staep 



