med to more exciting
sport, kept along with the caravan, the former well content that the
lads should amuse themselves with furnishing food for the party.

At Newcastle Mr Humphreys had purchased a couple of small
pocket-compasses, one for each of the boys, and the possession of these
gave them great confidence, as, with their guidance, they were always
enabled to strike the trail of the caravan.

The road had now altogether ceased, and they were travelling across a
bare, undulating country, dotted occasionally by herds and flocks of
Dutch settlers, and by the herds of wandering deer, but unbroken by a
tree of any size, and for the most part covered with tall grass. The
deer met with were for the most part antelopes of one or other of three
kinds, all of which abound on the higher plains. These are known as the
"wilde-beest," the "bless-buck," and the "spring-buck."

The venison which these creatures afforded was occasionally varied by
the flesh of the "stump-pig," which abounded in considerable numbers,
and, as they ran at a great speed, afforded the boys many a good chase.

Generally the caravan halted for the night--while they were still in a
country occupied here and there by Boers--near one of the farmhouses.
It was not that these habitations added to the pleasure of the
halting-place, for the Boers were generally gruff and surly, and their
dogs annoyed them by their constant barking and growling, but for the
most part it was only at these farmhouses that water could be obtained.
A small sum was generally charged by the Boers for the privilege of
watering the oxen of each waggon.

It would seem a churlish action to charge for water, but this fluid is
very scarce upon the veldt. There are long periods of drought, of
which, in a dry season, thousands of cattle perish; it is therefore only
natural that each farmer should hoard his supply jealously, for he
cannot tell how great his own need of it may shortly be. The water is
for the most part stored in artificial ponds, made by damming up hollows
through which the water runs in the wet season.

Sometimes, as the caravan made its slow way along, a young Boer would
dash up upon his horse, and, reining in, ask a few questions as to their
route, and then ride off again. Already the boys had admired the
figures and riding of the Boers whom they had seen in action in
Zululand, but they were much more struck by their appearance as they saw
them now. There are no f