370 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
not seen them, but hear there are some twenty-five, 
with one horse amongst the lot, which is just now 
about to expire, if it has not gone off the hooks 
already. He says he knows that his men will potter 
about near home, and kill nothing, if they do not go 
in with me far into the interior, where game is plenty. 
If they follow me this year I am likely to lead them 
a pretty dance of it; as my wagons are heavy with 
all I require, and my oxen are in splendid order, and 
for once my people, at present, at any rate, are in the 
same mind as myself, and are willing to trek into 
unknown regions. I have been lucky enough to get 
January once more, whom I mentioned in a former 
journal. On a spoor he is without an equal, and has 
a natural instinct in finding his way back to the 
wagons, which, in a country of such perfect same¬ 
ness as this is in most parts, is something wonderful. 
There are no land-marks of any sort to guide the 
eye ; it is one densely-wooded flat, as far as the 
human eye can range. In most countries I am 
myself a pretty good hand, but this land beats me 
altogether. 
9 th. — Batlanarmi (a Fountain). — I have been 
very lucky in finding water in two vleys, and have 
come over this much-dreaded part of the road in a 
manner most satisfactory to horses, oxen, and all the 
party, dogs included. On Monday I fell in with 
seven bull elands, and had a very long stern chase, 
in consequence of my gun missing fire both barrels, 
and owing also to the obesity of my horse Batwing, 
