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CHAPTER III. 



The Compass-Berg — Fatal encounter with a Lion — Destruction of 

 Crops by the Locusts — Anecdotes of these Insects — Quaggas — 

 Gnus — Hunting Anecdotes — Inquisitive Boor — Nocturnal visit 

 of an Hyaena— The Coney of Scripture—' Gift'— A Vei Boor — 

 Bushmen and their poisoned Arrows — Sand-storm — A Lion in 

 the Plain— Anecdote of Dempy and the Dog. 



Having been abundantly compensated for quitting 

 our route to visit the waterfall, we returned across 

 the country, and overtaking the waggon, continued 

 our journey until we reached the farm of Peter Van 

 der Merwe, whom we found in a state of considerable 

 vexation from the intelligence that a swarm of locusts 

 had entered his corn-land at another farm occupied 

 by one of his sons, about six hours' ride from his 

 own residence. 



The next morning we pursued an uneven track, 

 surrounded on either side by steep and rugged hills ; 

 and passing the Compass-Berg to our right, said to 

 be near seven thousand feet above the sea, we entered 

 upon an open country, over which we travelled for 

 several hours. At length observing a cultivated 

 spot of ground in a valley, we expected it would 

 prove to be the farm of the younger Van der Merwe : 

 we were, however, mistaken, as on a nearer approach 

 we could not discover any inhabited dwelling; and 



K 2 





