ord.

Meantime old Dos and the other Hottentots were shouting and shrieking in
shrill tones, the Kaffirs roaring in deeper bass, while Denis, Percy,
and Lionel were halloing and laughing as they tugged away at the thongs.
The oxen, encouraged by the voices of their drivers, were doing their
part. The difficult spot, which the Dutch settlers called a squint
path, was passed, and the waggon gained the top of the height, when at
some distance a broad river was seen flowing to the southward.

"There is the Tugela; we must cross that to-morrow morning, to get into
Zululand," said Hendricks to Crawford. "To-night we must encamp midway
between it and the foot of the hill."

The waggon at once began its descent, as there was but little time to
spare before darkness came on. The riems were now secured to the hinder
part to prevent its slipping down too rapidly in the steeper places.
The scenery from the top of the hill was wild and picturesque. Beyond
the river lay several cloofs or valleys, containing numerous fine timber
trees, and rich in the variety of their foliage and gorgeous flowers. A
carpet of green clothed the side and foot of the berg, as well as the
borders of the broad river, although the intermediate space was dry and
parched by the summer heat.

The waggon reached the bottom of the mountain in safety, and soon
afterwards the travellers camped by the side of a small stream flowing
down from the berg they had crossed, a thick wood near at hand affording
them abundance of fuel.

While the camp was being formed, Hendricks and Umgolo, according to
their usual custom, hastened out with their guns, and each before long
returned with a klipspringer, which were forthwith cut up and prepared
for supper. The abundance of good meat restored the spirits of the
Kaffirs and Hottentots, which the toils of the day had somewhat
depressed. The night passed without any unusual incident. Lions might
have been heard roaring or muttering in the distance, and occasionally
the camp was surrounded by musically-inclined jackals or hyenas, but the
brutes did not venture near enough to disturb the slumbers of the
travellers, and at daylight every one was on foot ready to commence the
trek which was to carry them into Zululand.

CHAPTER FIVE.

CROSSING THE TUGELA.

The bank of the river was reached. The stream was broad and rapid.
Crawford and Percy looked at it with dismay.

"By what means are we to get across?" excla