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Whilst slinking silently back to my sylyan den, fully impressed with the necessity of remaining perfeetly quiet, I scarcely 
ventured to indulge hope, that the good nag upon whom my sole dependence now rested, would be so fortunate as to escape 
the pryitig observation of these lynx-eyed vagabonds. His uneasy snorting, accompanied by constant. efforts to get loose, soon 
apprized me of the presence likewise of lions at no great distance to windward; but the fear of attracting my two-legged 
enemies to the spot, whilst it prevented my kindling a fire for his protection, denied me also the means of dressing a korhaan 
wherewith. & had taken care to provide myself. Dying with hunger, and haying my “girdle of famine” tightened to the last 
‘hole, I felt strongly tempted to follow the example of the savages, and devour my Christmas repast uncooked. About midnight, 
however, having prepared a deep oven in the ground, I ventured to light a small five, and the fowl being duly baked and dis- 
posed of, 1 presently betoak myself to sleep. - 
The following morning set in with tremendous rain. Cold, drenched, and eramped, I rose from my aquatic bed, and 
at once perceived that all hope of recovering the trail of the waggons was at an end. The soil consisting chiefly of a red 
loamy earth, from which the faintly marked tracks were easily obliterated, I resolved to follow the course of the river 
several miles further to the westward, and should I there untortunately fail in discovering the camp, to cross the country in a 
direct line to the conical hill, still a conspicuous landmark—thus certainly intersecting the road, if indeed any vestize of it 
remained, of which I began to be donbtfal, To this programme I rigoronsly adhered, walking the greater part of the day to 
save my harassed steed, apon whose back I contemplated the probability of baying to seek my way alone to the Colony —a 
probability which was mightily increased about sunset, when I found myself preparing to perfect my acquaintance with the pine- 
apple, by roosting on its summit ', 
“Tn a deep cave, dug by no mortal hand." 
During this second day's weary pilgrimage, scorched by the ardent and reflected rays of a summer san, I arrived at 
an extensive pond covered with water liles, and bordered by a broad belt of flags and rushes. Hastily approaching the 
margin, I became suddenly engulfed in a pitfall, six feet in depth, filled with mire and water, from which I extricated myself 
with inconceivable difficulty. On recovering my lost shoes out of the stiff blue clay at the bottom, [ perceived that the whole 
tank was closely invested, by a chain of these traps, which had been carefully covered over aby my pigmy foes, the Bushmen. 
Having shot a springbok, I here roasted enough of the flesh to satisfy the cravings of lnnger, and slinging a fine fat leg on 
either side of the saddle, took up my night's lodging in the manner already described, withent having been able to aes 
the smallest traces of the road. 
The night was serene and starlit. From the apex of my strong hold did IT look forth upon the tranquil expanse 
beneath, and listen for hours to catch some friendly melody that might direct my bewildered footsteps, Where, alas! was the 
“busy hum of men?" The shrill neighing of the wild ass, the bleat of the timid springbok, or the hoarse bellow of the 
gnoo, with the deep-drawn distant sighing of some prowling lion, occasionally borne along upon the breeze, nlont distarbed 
the grave-like stillness of the wilderness! Most seriously did I now debate with myself upon the propriety of mien for 
the colony, tstead of prolonging my fruitless search. It is true that every thing betwixt me and it was wrapped in the 
deepest uncertainty, and that to arrive there I should have to pass over a great extent of unknown and inhospitable soil; but 
on the other hand, I seemed to have already done all that human ingenuity could devise, and without the smallest success. 1 
estimated my distance from New Hantam to be little more than two hundred miles; and having fortunately a good supply of 
ammunition, there existed a fair prospect of my being able to reach that district in six or seyen days, unless driven by scarcity 
of game to sacrifice my steed. Taking into consideration, however, the long and dismal state of uncertainty that the measure 
must entail upon my companion, [ finally resolved to make one more huntsman-like cast before giving up the search in 
despair. . . 
Another day dawned, and once again haying saddled my trusty beast, I struck into the pathless waste, intending to 
make a wide sweep to the northward and westward, where it was possible that rain might not have fallen. Far and wide, 
however, the enamelled carpet glistened beneath the reviving effects of the recent showers; the sun as he rose imparting to 
the face of nature a more than magic beauty, which seemed but to laugh at my wretched and forlorn condition. Well do I 
recal to memory that resplendent sunrise —that canopy of purple clouds retiring before the splendour of the golden orb, and 
resolving itself into ten million fantastic figures; whilst by the roseate and crimson ground disclosed beyond it, the surrounding 
heavens were tinted with every yariety and depth of Maaite. About noon, lifting up my eyes from the ground, on which they 
had long and despondingly sought for some indicatiou of the party having passed, what was my joy and delight to recornize 
the identical “reed encircled fountain” at which we had broken onr fast on Christmas morning! Vaulting with nerves new 
braced into the saddle, I eagerly dashed towards the spot, unable almost to convince myself of the reality of the discovery ; 
but having instantly hit upon the trail of onr caravan, the fancied dream was dispelled; and following up the traces steadily, 
I shortly fell in with a party of Lihoya who were busily feasting upon a blesbok that had been taken im a pit-fall. The 
potent agency of a broken cigar enabling me to negociate with these terrified savages. female as well as male, a treaty of 
perpetual alliauce, | pointed to the wheel-ruts, and giving by signs to understand what 1 required, struck merrily across the 
broad plain under their willing guidance, and in less than another hour was within sight of the white tile of our wagons | 
Jaded and way-worn, it was with the most profound gratitude to an all protecting Providence that I thus found inyself 
restored to the catila, after three days of anxious and weary wandering over an unexplored and inhospitable wilderness, 
