VAST HERDS OF GAME. 297 



dition. Jolly and some of my people had been out, but 

 without success. 



On the 28th 1 rode in a northwesterly course, and 

 gave chase to a noble herd of about two hundred black 

 wildebeest. These being very wild, I yached them on 

 the Boer principle, and, taking a double family shot at 

 about three hundred yards, when the dust had blown 

 past one fine bull was found to have bitten the dust : 

 this was very near camp, so I dispatched Ruyter for 

 men and a pack-ox to bring the gnoo to camp. I held 

 on in a westerly course, and found the game extreme- 

 ly" shy, owing to the high winds. 



In the afternoon I inspanned and marched, there be- 

 ing very little grass here for my cattle, and danger of 

 the oxen taking a horrible and very fatal illness, called 

 by the Boers "snot sickness," which cattle are very 

 liable to from pasturing on ground frequented by black 

 wildebeests. The sky to the north and west looked 

 very threatening, and, before we had proceeded far, 

 black masses of clouds came rolling up toward us, and 

 vivid flashes of forked lightning, accompanied by ap- 

 palling peals of thunder, proclaimed the approach of a 

 storm. In a few minutes it was upon us, the rain fall- 

 ing in torrents. We held for a rocky coppice or hill, 

 beside which we outspanned, and in about an hour the 

 storm had passed away : vast herds'of game surround- 

 ed us on every side. 



Next day we marched, the country being very heavy 

 for the bullocks, owing to the rain which had fallen. I 

 held across the country for a range of stony hills, dotted 

 over with dwarfish trees and bushes, on which I ex- 

 pected to find sweet grass for my cattle. On my way 

 thither the plains on every side of us presented the 

 most lively display of game, and I was tempted by the 

 N3 



