“I do not know, but I should rather think not, and for one reason, which is, that although a person in the wilderness might subsist upon these animals, if always to be procured, yet the flights of locusts are very uncertain.  Now there is a tree in the country where St. John retired, which is called the locust-tree, and produces a large sweet bean, shaped like the common French bean, but nearly a foot long, which is very palatable and nutritious.  It is even now given to cattle in large quantities; and I imagine that this was the locust referred to; and I believe many of the commentators on the holy writings have been of the same opinion.  I think we have now gone far enough for to-day; we may as well halt there.  Do you intend to hunt, Major?  I see some animals there at a distance.”

“I should say not,” said Alexander; “if we are to cross a desert tract to-morrow, we had better not fatigue our horses.”

“Certainly not.  No, Swinton, we will remain quiet, unless game comes to us.”

“Yes, and look after our water-kegs being filled, and the fires lighted to-night,” said Alexander; “and I trust we may have no more sermons from lions, although Shakespeare does say, ’sermons from stones, and good in everything.’”

They halted their caravan upon a rising ground, and having taken the precaution to see the water-kegs filled and the wood collected, they sat down to dinner upon fried ham and cheese; for the Hottentots had devoured all the buffalo-flesh, and demanded a sheep to be killed for supper.  This was consented to although they did not deserve it; but as their tobacco had been stopped for their neglect of providing fuel and keeping up the fires, it was considered politic not to make them too discontented.

Alexander had been walking by the side of the river with the Major, while the Hottentots were arranging the camp, and Swinton was putting away some new specimens in natural history which he had collected, when Omrah, who was with them, put his finger to his lips and stopped them.  As they perfectly understood what he required, they stood still and silent.  Omrah then pointed to something which was lying on the low bank, under a tuft of rushes; but they could not distinguish it, and Omrah asked by signs for the Major’s rifle, took aim, and fired.  A loud splashing was heard in the water, and they pushed their way through the high grass and reeds, until they arrived at the spot, where they perceived an animal floundering in the agonies of death.”

“An alligator!” exclaimed the Major; “well, I had no idea that there were any here inland.  They said that there were plenty at the mouths of the rivers, on the coast of the Eastern Caffres, but I am astonished to find one here.”

“What did you fire at?” asked Swinton, who now joined them.

“An alligator, and he is dead.  I am afraid that he won’t be very good eating,” replied the Major.

“That’s not an alligator, Major,” said Swinton, “and it is very good eating.  It is a large lizard of the guana species, which is found about these rivers; it is amphibious, but perfectly harmless, subsisting upon vegetables and insects.  I tell you it is a great delicacy, ugly as it looks.  It is quite dead, so let us drag it out of the water, and send it up to Mahomed by Omrah.”