A TEEACHEEOUS FEMALE GUIDE. 
243 
our way in the maze of paths in the corn; and after an hoards 
wandering, without seeing any game, we passed some vacant huts. 
Still continuing our way, we fell in with an elderly woman, who 
unwillingly acted as guide, leading us apparently in a direction 
opposite to the one I wished to pursue. I fired in the air : my 
shot was responded to faintly in an opposite direction to the one 
pursued; my suspicions were confirmed that the hag was leading r 
us astray. More distant shots, but faintly heard, from the same 
direction proved our people^s anxiety, and, convinced of the woman’s 
treachery, I accused her, when she said she was conducting us to 
the kraal, where, I have no doubt, she anticipated we should have 
been overpowered and quietly disposed of. After three hours’ wan- 
dering we returned to our resting-place, where I found my wife 
and men most uneasy respecting our safety. Everything ready, 
we were soon in the saddle, and left the inhospitable quarters. 
An hour’s march, through high grass and bush, brought us to 
dead water in a low marshy bottom. Those on foot waded knee- 
deep some two hundred yards to the opposite side ; we were then 
in the Djour territory, and marching up a gentle ascent on hard 
and rocky ground, over the outcrop of a coarse red sandstone for- 
mation, so coarse that, in many places, it bore the appearance of 
a conglomerate. The surface, principally barren, was in places 
covered with short grass, occasionally partially burnt. Continuing 
through subsequent open bush, half an hour’s march brought us 
in contact with a party of our men, who, with the negro we had 
sent forward, were returning to us with some cattle to slaughter 
for consumption, and assist us over our difiiculties. A halt took 
place for nearly an hour, and fourteen of the new porters, anxious 
for their pay of a cow each, for their hire, squabbled and came to 
'all but blows with each other in the selection of their cattle. At 
16 — 2 
