A CAPE CART JOURNEY. 13 



Kaffir wars may now be considered things of the 

 past. The density and impenetrable nature of this 

 wall of bush veldt unless actually witnessed can 

 hardly be realised. Forest fires will not destroy it, 

 and its thorny recesses are, to this hour, as absolutely 

 impervious to any but the hides of Kaffirs, buffaloes, 

 and elephants, as they were in ages long remote. 

 Our host told us that a few buffaloes are shot 

 here every year ; but it is dangerous work hunting 

 them in the narrow game-paths, and the brutes are 

 extremely cunning and dangerous. Every South 

 African hunter is aware that this animal is classed 

 amongst the three most dangerous of the big game, 

 the others being the lion and leopard. As often as 

 not in these thickets the wily buffaloes lie in wait for 

 and chase the hunter instead of being themselves 

 pursued ; and they take no end of stopping, not to 

 say killing. 



Presently we went again within doors, and then 

 Frank produced his banjo from its case, and we 

 treated our Boer friend to an extemporised concert. 

 We knew a good many old glees and part songs, and 

 I am bound to say that the enthusiastic way in 

 which the usually unimpassionate Dutchman ap- 

 plauded our humble efforts fairly touched the inner- 

 most recesses of our hearts. When we had sung 

 " Oh, who will o'er the downs so free ? " and " Oh, 

 wert thou in the cauld blast," the chmax was reached, 

 and applauding nature could no further go. I firmly 

 believe that our little concert that night cemented a 

 life-long friendship between that Dutch Afrikander 

 and the British at the Cape. After " God save the 

 Queen," and pledging one an other in "soupjes" 

 of Cape smoke {i.e., Boer brandy), we parted for the 



