CHAP. XXI. 
THE GRAND BATTUE. 
197 
horns, tails, and skins were also reserved. All these 
were intended by Mr. Baines to be preserved for 
His Royal Highness ; but I am sorry to say they never 
reached the Prince, although they were sent to England 
in charge of a South African traveller. 
Six hundred head of large game were shot on this 
day, besides numbers speared by the natives, and most 
of the sportsmen looked more like butchers than 
sportsmen, from being so covered with blood. His 
Royal Highness and Currie were red up to the 
shoulders from using the spear. I cannot myself boast 
of many trophies, as I generally handed my double gun 
to the Prince as fast as I could load it; nevertheless I 
could not resist now and then bowling over a couple of 
great antelopes as they whirled past me. It was a very 
exciting day, and were His Royal Highness to live for a 
hundred years I do not believe he could ever see such a 
scene again, for the game in South Africa is fast disap¬ 
pearing. At the time I am speaking of (I860),;.it was 
still to be seen in great masses, and what were called the 
Hrek-boks’ were as much dreaded by the farmers as the 
locusts. It is generally during the time of drought in 
the interior that these 6 trek-boks ’ migrate southward, 
devouring every blade of grass before them, as the 
locusts do when they come from the north ; standing 
corn, gardens, &c., are all devoured ; but both beasts 
and locusts form food in their different ways for the 
