up, and Ruyter and I rode slowly behind, occasionally shouting to guide
his course. Presently, however, Chukuroo ceased taking any notice of us,
and held leisurely on for the river, into a shallow part of which he
walked, and, after panting there and turning about for a quarter of an
hour, he fell over and expired. This was a remarkably fine old bull, and
from his dentition it was not improbable that a hundred summers had seen
him roaming a peaceful denizen of the forests and open glades along the
fair banks of the secluded Mariqua.

During our march, on the 19th, we had to cross a range of very rocky
hills, covered with large loose stones, and all hands were required to
be actively employed for about an hour, in clearing them out of the way,
to permit the wagons to pass. The work went on fast and furious, and the
quantity of stones cleared was immense. At length we reached the spot
where we were obliged to bid adieu to the Mariqua, and hold a westerly
course across the country for Sicheley. At sundown we halted under a
lofty mountain, the highest in the district, called "Lynchie a Cheny,"
or the Monkey's Mountain.

Next day, at an early hour, I rode out with Ruyter to hunt, my camp
being entirely without flesh, and we having been rationed upon very
tough old rhinoceros for several days past. It was a cloudy morning, and
soon after starting, it came on to rain heavily. I, however, held on,
skirting a fine, well-wooded range of mountains, and after riding
several miles I shot a zebra. Having covered the carcass well over with
branches to protect it from the vultures, I returned to camp, and,
inspanning my wagons, took it up on the march. We continued trekking on
until sundown, when we started an immense herd of buffaloes, into which
I stalked, and shot a huge old bull.