CAMDEBOO. 119 



subsided, and we found ourselves again traversing 

 in quiet the dreary solitude. Not a living object 

 was now to be seen in the wide expanse around us, 

 save two or three vultures that hovered over the 

 entrails of the antelope, seeming to watch our de- 

 parture that they might commence their banquet. 



We pursued our journey by moonlight, until we 

 reached the foot of the Camdeboo Mountain, which 

 had been in view the whole day. A boor, named 

 Joubert, residing at this place, kindly sent his son 

 at an early hour to invite us into his dwelling with 

 offers of refreshment ; but as we were well provided, 

 we declined his hospitality, further than by accept- 

 ing a little milk, which we always found agreeable 

 and readily afforded by the boors. This farmer in- 

 formed me that he had been reduced from a state 

 of comparative comfort to great distress, in conse- 

 quence of the long-continued droughts, which had 

 prevailed for an unusual length of time, no rain 

 having fallen, until within a few weeks, for upwards 

 of two years ; the consequence was that he had lost 

 more than two thousand sheep, and several hundred 

 head of other cattle. 



As we were preparing to leave this place, a 

 Hottentot came up with eight ostrich eggs, which he 

 had found in a nest as he was crossing the Karroo, 

 and wanted to dispose of at the rate of ninepence 

 each. He stated that he had observed in the track 

 of our waggon the spur of a lion, which had most 



