round, and thus possibly
discover if any parties of the enemy were out in search of him. He
found none, however, and therefore immediately breakfast was finished,
the horses were mounted, and the party continued their journey, changing
their direction now to the westward, in order to ride towards the
district in which they believed their friends would be most likely to be
found.

The sun had nearly attained his meridian altitude before Hans decided to
halt, to off-saddle the horses, and to refresh the party, by partaking
of the remainder of his morning's captures. The place that he had
selected for the halt was a slightly wooded ravine, amidst the rocks of
which a clear stream ran over a grassy or pebbly bed, behind him was a
range of rocky hills, the summit of which was crowned by huge masses of
rock, looking from the distance like vast slabs placed by giant strength
in their present position. Before them was an undulating plain, on
which detached clumps of bushes and trees were scattered; tiny
mountain-born streams flowed in various parts of this plain, and could
be seen like silver threads winding about amongst trees, shrubs, and
ferns, until two or three joining together formed a fair-sized river.
On these plains herds of antelope were grazing, and seemed undisturbed
by any enemy; ostriches were stalking here and there, whilst the grim
circling vulture was wheeling in the air, watching for carrion on which
to feast.

"This is a beautiful district," exclaimed Hans, as he examined the
various attractive features of the scene; "it is too good for a black
savage to own. What more could a man wish for than what he finds here?
There is water in abundance, plenty of grass for his cattle and horses,
a soil that would yield if the seed were merely thrown down, game in
abundance, and a climate as good as any in Africa. I have heard, but
can scarcely believe, that in England there are men, strong men, who
pass their whole lives in crowded places, in a country too where the sun
is rarely seen, and all for the sake of getting more money than they
want for their necessities, but which they thus slave for in order to
make a show in the way of ornaments. Can you believe, Victor, that such
men know what life really is?"

"It is strange, Hans, at least to us who know how to live by hunting,
and whose cattle increase rapidly, if left to themselves; but perhaps
these men you speak of would not be happy unless they were thus sl