“We will have mercy upon you, Swinton, and defer our impatience,” said the Major.  “Good-night to you, and may you not have a lion’s serenade.”

“No, I hope not; their music is too loud to be agreeable;—­good-night.”

CHAPTER XX.

Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at day-light they yoked the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed more to the northward, through the Bushmen’s country; but as they were aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream altogether, till they arrived at the Val or Yellow River, they decided upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some time, before they struck off for the Val or Yellow River, near to which they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the giraffe and rhinoceros.

Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water.

By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night.  As they were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure every thing as before, by inclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up the oxen.

By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labor, and they would have time to follow the object of their journey—­that of hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants.

Having now traveled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of a rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river’s bank, and which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees.  As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to drink, our travelers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising ground to view the country beyond, and to ascertain what game might be in sight.

When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, “Elephant here not long ago.”

Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of the stream.  The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English or Dutch, he imitated its motions.