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fast, but didn't attempt it again, as a kind of track we 
had hitlierto found by the river suddenly ceased, and we 
were obliged to make a detour to avoid some impassable 
rocks by the river ; and finding we could cut off a deep 
bend we struck inland, till our walk lasted about four 
hours instead of one as we bad intended, and we were 
much, in want of our breakfast when we struck the river 
again and camped ; and preferred on future occasions to eat 
before starting. We were now literally in the pathless 
bush. Passed some grand forest trees and many tracks of 
the hippopotamus. We found ourselves, when we halted 
to camp, in the angle formed by junction of the Oliphant 
and Umtlatsi rivers ; and a fine piece of wild scenery our 
camping ground was. Some buffalo spoor shewing quite 
fresh near our tents, I started after breakfast to follow on 
it with two or three men, but finding the game had 
crossed the Umtlatsi, and not knowing where to find a 
ford, I turned back to camp, and we sent out some men in 
the afternoon to explore the river and ascertain where we 
could cross over next morning. Shot my first impala. 
Have walked nine hours to-day; a fair day's work and 
makes one glad to go to bed. On the march I am 
generally a little a-head with a hunter or two, looking out 
for a chance at the game ; then comes the small boy, about 
ten years old, leading one of the ponies carrying a load ; 
the next follows by himself, and then comes E. on ^^Jack," 
with Sara and Kemp bringing up the rear ; behind, at 
various intervals, are the bearers, who walk a short 
distance at a great pace and then sit down for a rest, so 
we see little of them on the march. I always carry the 
Express rifle, partly because there is no one else to carry 
it for me, and partly because it is a very handy weapon in 
case of coming across game. As we walk along we often 
hear the beautiful and ringing note of the ^^bellbird" 
as it is called out here, but whether this is the correct 
