JOURNEY IN ALBANY. 
143 
none of us however were anxious to see them, being 
of the same mind with an officer, who said he never 
wished to see wild beasts, except when he had to 
pay for the sight ; then he believed he was safe. The 
night was wet and uncomfortable. Thermometer at 
noon, 65. 
14th. Departed at eight A.M. and travelled over 
an extended plain till two P.M. During this move- 
ment we saw four droves of quachas, which seem to 
be a species of the zebra, shaped like an ass, but the 
size of a mule — two droves of eiland (or elk,) about 
the size of an ox, with long straight horns, which lie 
much upon the shoulders when running. We killed 
a young one, which was immediately skinned and cut 
up, and part of it eaten for dinner. We were also 
gratified by another sight of springbucks, when the 
height they sprang was almost incredible ; the ground 
on which they lighted seemed as if it had been 
elastic. 
During the day, one of our Hottentots saw five 
elephants on the other side of a small hill, near the 
place where we halted. In the evening, not being 
able to get forward in consequence of the rain, I 
invited three well informed Hottentots into my tent, 
who had resided in Caffireland, in order to obtain as 
much additional information as I could, respecting 
that people. Having about sixty questions written, I 
proposed these in their order. When we had got 
about half through the list, the Hottentots feeling 
