VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 175 
plants, unknown to our best botanist, Mr. Melville. In some 
places, the rugged sides of the hills are clothed with aloes, and 
other larger plants, and as we proceeded, we saw, on many hills, 
the so-called Wageboom growing dispersed, resembling ^ planted 
orchard, the trees standing fifteen or twenty paces asunder. Of 
wild creatures, we saw only a few rehbock antelopes, but being 
excessively shy, our huntsmen Schmitt and Melville rode or ran 
after them in vain. Elephants, wild boars, wolves, and tygers, 
as likewise baboons, haunt these desolate regions, the first how- 
ever, only where they find wood and water. 
One of our young drivers related to his companion, that at the 
round kraal, which we visited yesterday, he watched a tyger for 
several nights successively, climbing up the poles of the hen-roost. 
This is a platform made of branches ot trees covered with bushes 
or grass, supported by four or more uprights, about ten or twelve 
feet high, to which the cocks and hens fly, about sunset, and 
there roost during the night, out of the reach of mausehunde, foxes, 
and other destructive animals. Nor can tygers, or wild cats, well 
scramble up a smooth pole, with an overhanging superstructure. 
The tyger had succeeded in siezing one or two chickens, near the 
edge of the roost, and the Hottentot was determined to stop his 
thieving. He made two small holes in the side of the kraal, one 
for the muzzle of his gun, the other for his eye, behind which lie 
lay in ambush. The tyger soon came, and clasping one of the 
poles with his claws, seemed contriving how best to mount to the 
platform. At that moment the lad fired, and the animal fell, but 
uttered so loud a roar, that, thinking him yet alive, and likely in 
his fury, to make an attack upon the kraal, he first let out his dog. 
The dog soon put an end to the tyger's life, as he had received the 
shot through his body. 
About five o'clock, v,e arrived at Klip Revier, and were welcom- 
ed by a friendly farmer oi" the name of Barkhuis, but who had it 
not in bis power to put us forward to-day. We therefore sent a 
message to the Veldcornct, to have oxen ready for us to-morrow at 
