87 
had a bathe in the river, but was in a great fear of 
alligators. Poor old ^^Lion" was despatched with a 
charge of buck shot in the afternoon, as we could not 
have taken him on, and it was a kindness to put an end 
to his life. Swartboy went out on his own hook, and 
came back with the news that he had seen the buffalo 
again in their old quarters. Another Caffre turned up as 
a bearer, so we shall soon have enough to carry the heads 
we stowed away in trees on the road down. Old Slangey" 
hasn't yet returned, but Dubois seems to think he is sure to 
turn up before we start. The ponies have lately become very 
weak, and scarcely able to travel any distance. ^^Jack" 
is in better case, but he is evidently sickly and falling 
away in strength and size. 
August l^th. After an early breakfast I left E. and the 
rest of the party to make their way to the next camp a 
short distance off, and, with two or three Caffres, took 
another direction through the bush in search of game. 
We suddenly came across a rhinoceros, and creeping up 
within shooting distance, I fired, but, as in the former 
case, I found it difiicult to get a good shot at the animal 
on account of the brushwood. The brute started off 
directly I fired evidently wounded, and followed by a 
young one about three parts grown, which I had not 
previously seen. I fired again at the latter and hit that 
also, but both kept on going at their best pace. Swartboy 
started after them as usual, and I was following him, 
when suddenly the Caffres in the rear began to holloa 
most vigorously, and, looking round, I saw another 
rhinoceros, evidently the paterfamilias, coming full tilt 
towards us ; there was no time to run, so I blazed at him 
with both barrels at about forty or fifty yards, and was 
considerably relieved when he sheered off and disappeared 
into the bush — whether wounded or not I didn't know or 
care. We then went on after the other two, but though 
