The Hottentots had also begun to move, but had not yet recovered their senses—­indeed, they were again stupefied by the clamor of the elements.  The storm lasted about an hour, and then as suddenly cleared up again; the stars again made their appearance in the sky above, and the red tinge of the horizon announced the approach of daylight.  When the storm ceased, our travelers, who had not taken off their clothes, came out from their shelter, and met each other by the side of the extinguished fire.

“Well,” said Alexander, “I have been made wise on two points this night; I now know what an African storm is, and also the roar of an African lion.  Have you heard if there is any mischief done, Bremen?” continued Alexander to the Hottentot, who stood by.

“No, sir; but I am afraid it will take us a long while to collect the cattle; they will be dispersed in all directions, and we may have lost some of them.  It will soon be daylight, and then we must set off after them.”

“Are those fellows quite sober now?”

“Yes, sir,” replied Bremen, laughing; “water has washed all the liquor out of them.”

“Well, you may tell them, as a punishment, I shall stop their tobacco for a week.”

“Better not now, sir,” said Bremen, thoughtfully; “the men don’t like to go further up the country, and they may be troublesome.”

“I think so too,” said Swinton; “you must recollect that the cask was running out, and the temptation was too strong.  I should overlook it this time.  Give them a severe reprimand, and let them off.”

“I believe it will be the best way,” replied Alexander; “not that I fear their refusing to go on, for if they do, I will dismiss them, and go on with the Caffres; they dare not go back by themselves, that is certain.”

“Sir,” said Bremen, “that is very true; but you must not trust the Caffres too much—­Caffres always try to get guns and ammunition:  Caffre king, Hinza, very glad to get the wagons and what is in them:  make him rich man, and powerful man, with so many guns.  Caffre king will not rob in his own country, because he is afraid of the English; but if the wagon’s robbed, and you are killed in this country, which is not his, then he make excuses, and say, ‘I know nothing about it,’ Say that their people do it, not his people.”

“Bremen talks very sensibly,” said the Major; “we must keep the Hottentots as a check to the Caffres, and the Caffres as a check to the Hottentots.”

“That is our policy, depend upon it,” replied Swinton.

“You are right, and we will do so; but the day is breaking; so?  Bremen, collect the people together to search for the cattle; and, Omrah, tell Mahomed to come here.”

“By the by, Swinton,” said Major Henderson, “those elephants’ tusks lying by the wagon remind me of a question I want to put to you:—­In Ceylon, where I have often hunted the elephant, they have no tusks; and in India the tusks are not common, and in general very small.  How do you account for this variety?”