THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



supply, but seldom, however, exceed £io. On no account should 

 they be allowed to trek during the heat of the day in deep sand 

 when the load is heavy, or where a supply of water cannot abso- 

 lutely be depended upon, it being preferable to make up lost time 

 by constant progress through the entire night ; and where a journey 

 of many months is in contemplation, the wagon should not be 

 loaded with a burden exceeding about 3,500 lbs. in weight. 



Only second in importance to the acquisition of a sound wagon 

 and even-pulling spans of oxen, is the necessity of obtaining an 

 efficient and sober driver (who is generally a difficult individual to 

 find amongst, perhaps, the most drunken crew in the world), for no 

 matter how good the cattle may be, a bad and harsh driver will 

 speedily render them almost useless for draught purposes. A good 

 driver will always command his team with his voice, while a bad 

 one will at once be distinguished by the frequent and wholly un- 

 necessary use of the whip. Provided the man so engaged has a 

 good reputation, and can be relied upon, the inexperienced will do 

 well to leave all questions as to distances and places of outspan 

 to him. 



For the sake of picking up an occasional mouthful of grass, and 

 also to save the expense of additional "boys'" (native servants) 

 wages, some travellers in South Africa permit their shooting horses 

 to be driven together loose alongside the wagon. Unless where it 

 becomes absolutely necessary to save this expense, the practice 

 should not be allowed, as, owing to the fact that one animal always 

 tries to keep in advance of the others, they become by degrees 

 more difficult to catch and halter, and, from continued kicking 

 and biting, generally manage to develop some latent vice. Where 

 possible, there should be a separate servant told off to lead each 

 couple of horses, and it is only when the wagon has been brought 

 to a standstill that they should all be knee-haltered and allowed 

 out together to graze. Should the supply of mealies (maize) for 

 the morning and evening feed run short, sufficient grass should 

 be cut with a sickle to last the horses when tied up to the wagon 

 during the night. (See Remarks on the Shooting Horse.) 



The question as to the proper preservation of the trophies of the 

 chase is far too extensive to allow of more than a passing observation, and 

 it will be sufficient to mention that the prevalent mistake made in 

 skinning the heads of animals is to cut them off too close behind the 

 ears, thereby imposing a serious obstacle against their being properly 



