A COBRA DE CAPELLO. 203 



was that of a child, I made towards it, and found in 

 a little secluded spot amongst the weeds my little 

 patient, who was earnestly pouring out her soul to 

 the God of all mercies, where she thought no eye 

 saw or ear heard her but His. 



" This boldness in the wolf, as also his passing by 

 every other sort of prey for a human body, must, I 

 think, be attributed in the first place to the horrible 

 custom of leaving the dead unburied ; and, in the 

 second place, to the frequent wars in this part of 

 Caffraria, by which these monsters have been fed to 

 the full. The late Chaka scarcely deserves a better 

 name than that of caterer to the wolfish tribe. 

 Since his death these animals, instead of feeding on 

 bodies plentifully provided for them, are, with a few 

 exceptions, obliged to take them alive." 



We rose early the next morning, and towards the 

 close of day reached Fort Beaufort, near which we 

 pitched our tent for the night. Quitting it on the 

 following morning, we passed through a kloof over- 

 spread with shrubs and stunted bushes, whilst frag- 

 ments of rock projected in bare craggy masses above 

 them. The heat was here again intolerable, being 

 reflected from the mountains on either side ; and we 

 were glad to avail ourselves of the shelter afforded by 

 the trees which skirted the banks of the Kat River, 

 where, unyoking our oxen, we remained and partook 

 of some refreshment after the fatigue of our morn- 

 ing's journey. While seated on the trunk of a large 



