height to the summit of the shoulders.
The tips of its long horns were five feet three inches asunder. Across
one shoulder, and a part of the neck, was a broad scar more than two
feet in length. This scar was conspicuous at some distance,
notwithstanding the animal's hide was covered with a thick coat of dark
brown hair, showing that it was not very far advanced in years. The
wound leaving this mark had evidently been given by the claws of a lion.
This they knew to be the case, from seeing three scratches parallel
with each other, showing where the lion's claws had been drawn
transversely across the shoulder.

Some steak and other choice portions, being cut from the brace of bulls,
were packed upon the saddle croup to be carried away; and after a short
halt, and a feast upon fresh buffalo beef, our adventurers resumed their
interrupted journey.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

THE POISONED SPRING.

On the evening of the eighth day after leaving Macora the hunters
encamped on the bank of a small stream, which they computed to be about
one hundred and twenty miles south of the place from where their return
journey commenced.

Within the mind of Groot Willem, there was still a lingering hope that
they might again meet with giraffes; and he had never lost an
opportunity of looking for them along the route.

The delays caused by his explorations had been a source of constant
annoyance to the others; but as Willem had a will of his own,--one,
nevertheless, united with a disposition so cheerful as to be proof
against any attempts at a controversy,--his companions were compelled to
be content with the knowledge that they were slowly progressing towards
Graaf Reinet.

In the morning after entering their new camp, they arose to look upon a
scene more beautiful than any other they had yet beheld in the extended
country over which they had wandered. Near them was a grove of oleander
bushes, loaded with beautiful blossoms. Every branch was adorned by the
presence of two or more beautiful green sugar-birds,--the _certhia
(Nectarinia) famosa_. Nothing in nature can exceed in splendour the
plumage of the sugar-bird. The little vale in which the hunters had
encamped seemed a paradise, bathed in golden sunlight; and even the
cattle appeared to leave it with some reluctance.

On moving down the bed of the watercourse, they found that they were not
travelling by the side of a running stream, but by what, in the dry
season, was a