nce, and the road being frequently lined with bush,
impenetrable except to a Kaffir, several opportunities of course occur
for advantageous ambuscades, where overwhelming numbers can be at once
concentrated on any particular spot. To be completely guarded against
these Kaffir surprises is next to impossible, the whole thing being done
in a few minutes; and, perhaps, during that short time, two or three
spans of oxen are whisked off, which one might as well attempt to follow
as to chase clouds.

If Kaffirs are attacked in the bush, and they find that they are likely
to get the worst of the fight, they do not hesitate a moment about
retreating. There is no false delicacy with them, and they are away as
fast as their legs can carry them to a more secure and distant locality,
only to return again on the first convenient opportunity.

Attacking and destroying their villages inflicts no great loss upon
them, for their houses are rebuilt in a few days. The only time when
they are likely to suffer is near their harvest season, for their crops
then would be destroyed. If they once gather the corn, they soon have
it well concealed in holes made for this purpose, which are circular and
deep.

I was nearly terminating my career in a corn-pit at Natal, and was
therefore well acquainted with its construction. As I was riding round
amongst some old deserted kraals looking for bush-pigs, my horse
suddenly stumbled; he partly recovered, and then came down on his head;
I thought he had the staggers, and tried to jump off. I felt him
sinking behind me, and as he was struggling, I had great difficulty in
getting clear. I had just got my foot out of the stirrup and was
throwing my leg over him, when he fell down several feet, with me on the
top of him. The whole of this took place in a few seconds. The dirt,
dust, and an avalanche of broken sticks, came tumbling down, and blinded
me for a moment. Upon looking about me, I found that we had sunk into
an old corn-pit, about twelve feet in depth and seven in diameter. The
sides were as hard as stone, for a fire is always kept burning for a day
or so in the interior when the pit is first made.

Fortunately, during the fall I was uppermost, otherwise our mingled
bones might have been the only intimation that my friends would have had
of this misfortune, as the hole was in a very out-of-the way locality.

My pony struggled at first, but, being a very cool hand, soon became
quiet.