to leave my pony to graze near his kraal, as the place
where some reitboks were usually found, was so hilly and broken that he
did not think a horse would be of much use. On our road to the ground
which he had chosen as the most likely for game, he asked all sorts of
questions about me, and volunteered much information about himself. He
had committed that common sin amongst savages, of having too many
cattle, which had raised the envy of his chief, who consequently accused
him of witchcraft, and would have soon murdered him, had not the accused
party made a bolt, and placed himself some sixty miles within the
British boundary, but a beggar by comparison with his former condition.
He seemed, however, contented, and had now a few cattle and goats.

This part of the country was plentifully watered, and the numerous
ravines and marshy spots allowed the long reeds to escape the fires that
perform the part of mowers once or twice a year. In the heat of the day
the antelopes choose these cool retreats for shelter. The old Kaffir,
who rejoiced in the name of Matuan, led me to the top of a
slightly-wooded hill, and, pointing to an opposite ridge, nearly a mile
distant, he said, "_Nanqueer_."

[The Kaffir words that I have used throughout this work I believe are
incorrect in their orthography. For the uninitiated, however, I thought
it better to spell them as they sounded, as by adopting this plan, a
more complete idea can be obtained of the sound of the Kaffir language.]

I looked in the direction indicated, and there saw a few goats feeding,
and could plainly see a little Kaffir boy sitting beside them: the
transparency of the air in these latitudes almost does away with the
effect of distance. "_May-na-bo_!" then sang Matuan, resting very long
on the _may_, in a singing sort of way; and, without any apparent
exertion, a kind of shout from, the boy came thrilling through the air,
like the voice of a distant bird. "_Ou vel arpe umseke_?" sung Matuan.
"_Empeshear kona_," thrilled the boy. Matuan, giving a grunt of
approval, moved on. This I must translate to make intelligible:--the
_maynabo_ was to call the attention of the boy, a kind of "Holloa!" _Ou
vel arpe umseke_? meaning, Where are the reitboks gone? _Empeshear_,
indicating that they were over on the other side.

I have been frequently astonished at hearing the ease with which two
Kaffirs will carry on a conversation when separated by distances that
would be