he field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove his
eyes wandered over the ground in search of it.

"Ho!" he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridges
whirred up from his path. "A good sign that: they are seldom far from
water."

Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens,
running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water was
nigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall _cameel-doorn_ tree, he
next observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot.

"Now," muttered he to himself, "I must be very near to some spring or
pool."

He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon the
crest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight of the
birds.

Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerly
direction, and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Both
appeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain, about
five hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apart
from any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yet
seen.

As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed several
pairs of parrots alighting upon it. These after chattering a while among
its branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its base.

"Surely," thought Von Bloom, "there must be water there. I shall ride
forward and see."

But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. The
animal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as his
head was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward with
outstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along.

The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up the
bridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinking
from the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within a
dozen yards of the tree.

The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but he
thought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon the
grass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in quite
as good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal his
liberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree.

As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of nature
that towered majestically above him. It was one of the largest trees he
had ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the "nwana" tree, a species
of _fi