PARTRIDGES. 
189 
did the same about two miles ahead. Swartz could 
not go the pace, and fired 200 yards off, giving his 
giraffe a good shot, however, and making her what 
he calls 4 swack.’ It is a good plan, if you are sure 
of your shot; but at such a distance I cannot make 
good work. 
Yesterday Swartz and myself, being badly mounted, 
had a long chase after two white rhinoceros cows. 
I eventually finished them both, though they cost 
us nine bullets. On jumping off to fire, Jack ran 
away, and I had a long chase on foot ere I recovered 
him. Swartz’s nag, old Croppy, is dead lame on one 
foot, but a sjambok vigorously applied had a wonder¬ 
ful effect on him. Eode Luister in the afternoon, and 
shot a very large bull, with a fine horn, breaking his 
shoulder the second shot, as he came swinging broad¬ 
side past me, not more than 20 yards off. I shot 
well yesterday, hitting nine running shots with ball, 
from 50 to 70 yards off, all good shots. Killed 
some Namaqua partridges and two different kinds of 
bush partridge, totally different from any I ever before 
saw, the plumage underneath resembling a grouse, 
with very handsome bills. I regret much my ina¬ 
bility to skin them properly. 
Our course lies nearly north, verging east and 
west for water ; and we have Masaras, who go ahead 
of the wagons, to point out the way from one vley 
to another. This is, without exception, the driest, 
flattest, most desolate-looking country I ever saw ; 
and the Masaras have burned the last blade of grass. 
