sions enough."

Our travellers now rode back to the caravan, leaving the Caffres to
bring home the flesh. As soon as they had dined, the chief of the
warriors was desired to come with all his men, and Alexander then made
every man a handsome present, consisting of tobacco, snuff, cloth,
knives, and beads. To the chief of the band he gave three times as much
as the others, and then, having delivered to him a very liberal
collection of articles for their king Hinza, Alexander told the chief to
acquaint the king that he had been very much pleased with the conduct of
the men, and thanked his majesty for the loan of them, and requested
that his majesty would accept of the packet of articles which he had
selected for him.

He then thanked the men for their good conduct, told them to take all
the flesh that they wished for the journey, and stated that they were at
liberty to depart that evening or the next morning, as they thought
proper. The Caffres were perfectly satisfied with Alexander's
liberality, and the chief of the warriors, making a short speech in
reply, retired with his men.

"Well, I'm very sorry that these fine fellows are leaving," said the
Major.

"And so am I; but I could not well detain them, and they said that they
could not go further with us without the king's permission," replied
Alexander.

"Of course not," replied the Major; "but that does not lessen my regret
at their departure; they have been both steady and brave, as well as
active and willing, and I do not expect that our Hottentots will serve
us so well."

"You are right not to expect it, Major," replied Swinton; "if you did,
you would be miserably disappointed. If they knew now where we were
going, they would desert us. The only hold that we have upon the
greater number of them is their fear; they go forward because they are
afraid to go back; but if they could get hold of our horses, with their
guns and ammunition, they would leave us as soon as we advanced in the
desert."

"Very true, I fear; but we have a few stanch fellows among them, and two
at least whom we can depend upon--Bremen and Swanevelt."

"How far is it from here to the Black River, Swinton?"

"About forty miles; not so much perhaps to the river's bed, but at least
that, if not more, before we shall fall in with any water at this season
of the year."

"We must not fail to fill our water-kegs before we leave this."

"No, for we shall have no water to-night, that's