THE ORANGE RIVER. 
21 
were forced to build a raft of dry willow logs and poles, 
which we laid six in a row and four deep, and fastened 
together with raw ox-hide. 
The raft, however, was too narrow to be safe for 
carrying three of us, though buoyant enough for our 
clothes, &c. I tried, first of all, to see if it would carry 
me, but the slightest movement to one side while poling 
it along upset it, and I found myself up to my waist in 
the muddy water. So we abandoned the idea of crossing 
on it ourselves, and only used it to keep our clothes 
dry while we swam. The water seemed to me to be 
still rising ; driftwood was floating down with it, and 
submerged rocks added to the dangers of the swift 
current, so, as Lulu and Fritz were indifferent swimmers, 
I swam across first, with a small rope attached to the 
raft, and then hauled it across after me, while the two 
others, taking hold of the raft, were drawn over with 
but little risk or effort. This was soon done, and in a 
few moments we all three stood dressing on the opposite 
bank, our teeth chattering, and shivering with cold ; 
the water was very chilly, and the early morning air, 
stirred with a light breeze, was still keener. 
A sharp walk soon warmed us up. As the pheasants 
were very plentiful, and the early morning was their 
feeding-time, we had taken the precaution to bring the 
shot-gun ; and we had not gone far before a couple 
ran across an open space to cover — which they never 
reached. These South African pheasants are about the 
colour and size of the female of the silver pheasant, but 
much heavier ; their cry is very much similar to that of 
the guinea-fowl, which is also very plentiful, but is so 
shy and cunning that it is very seldom that you can 
see one, although you can hear their cry of “ Come 
back ! come back ! ” on all sides. A pointer or setter 
would be necessary to make a good bag of them. The 
Bastards shoot them by finding their roosting-tree, to 
which they invariably come every night, and slaughter 
them as they go to bed. 
Large flocks of rock -pigeons — about the size of the 
English wood-pigeon, and much the same in colour, 
