IMMENSE QUANTITY OF FISII. 
241 
stock; as yet, I have only lost one horse, of course 
my best, but I have no reason to complain. 
May 8th .—We got to the river Chapeau, or Beau- 
clekky, five clays ago ; at first sight, it appeared an im¬ 
mense bay in every direction as far as the eye could 
discern, covered with flamingoes and pelicans. I rode 
in on horseback to endeavour to shoot one of the 
former, which have most beautiful plumage, but the 
bottom was muddy and the horse all but stuck fast, 
and the birds stalked and swam out of rifle range. The 
Kaffirs told us there were two lions, with young ones, 
in the reeds, and we must make all the oxen, &c., fast, 
and keep a good watch, as they were very savage; 
we .took all due precautions, but neither heard nor 
saw anything of them. Treked on to Chapeau, a 
Masara Captain’s, but he was very sick, and we got 
nothing from him, and heard that all the elephants 
had treked away from the river since the last rains. 
The Kaffirs had a weir across the river, and about 
fifty funnel-shaped baskets, set about a yard apart, 
facing down stream, in which they caught an im¬ 
mense quantity of fish, barbel and bream, in beautiful 
condition, and very good eating. I bought a lot of 
picked ones for a mere song, and salted them down, 
and enjoyed them not a little. I have shot six 
camelopards the last few days, having been very 
successful in finding them; and my two horses—- 
Broon and Luister—carrying me uncommonly well. 
I had a hard stern chase after one, right away from 
the wagon, up the wind. After the first shot I 
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