ii6 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



amuse ourselves. As for francolin (here called 

 partridges), guinea-fowl, koorhaan, and the rest, we 

 can have as much shooting as we want amongst 

 them. To-day, being somewhat of an off-day, and 

 the warm sun of South African spring having a 

 rather somnolent effect, we are sitting after lunch 

 lazily smoking (except one of our number), and 

 wondering what is to be done. Shall we stroll down 

 to the pool at the bend of the river, half a mile 

 beneath, for a bathe, or shall we stick up a bottle or 

 two and have a little rifle practice ? 



The two proposals are ended by the distant 

 rumbling of a waggon coming down the pass towards 

 the house. Up jumps everybody, for be it known 

 this is not an everyday occurrence, and in these 

 quiet regions anything passing by the road below 

 is an object of uncommon interest. 



The waggon, as it rolls slowly along, anon 

 crashing over a huge boulder, or across a dry spruit 

 here and there, is soon made out to belong to Boers, 

 probably from the Orange Free State, coming down 

 country with produce. 



The great oxen step out briskly as they catch 

 sight of a habitation, and the Kaffir fore-louper at 

 their head tugs at the reim by which he leads them. 

 A flock of sheep and goats, headed and driven by 

 Kaffir boys, accompanies the waggon, while a couple 

 of useful saddle-horses follow it. We walk down 

 the hillside to the road, and our host soon ascertains 

 that the Boers, who have trekked far, desire to 

 outspan for the night and rest the next day, and to 

 run their trek-oxen, sheep, and goats upon the 

 veldt ; and after a little haggling this is accorded to 

 them, in consideration of a sheep, which is forthwith 



