certain. We cannot
travel more than twenty miles over such a country as this; for, turning
here and there to avoid the holes and ant-hills, the twenty miles will
be at least thirty," said Swinton; "but now I must go and tell the
Hottentots to find me what I want: a pound of tobacco will procure it, I
have no doubt."

"But I have mine," observed the Major, after Swinton was gone; "we are
too near the pool, and we shall be surrounded with lions to-night; the
Hottentots may pretend that they will go, but they will not."

"One cannot well blame them; I'm sure a pound of tobacco would not
persuade me to put my head into a lion's mouth; but I agree with you, we
are too near the pool, and as we must collect the cattle to secure them
during the night, I think we had better fill our water-kegs, and then
yoke and take up a position for the night about half a mile further off.
But here comes Swinton, who can give us his advice."

As Swinton agreed with them, they yoked the oxen, and drove forward
about a mile from the pool; they then secured them to the waggons and
lighted large fires round the caravan.

The Major was correct as regarded the Hottentots' procuring an ant-eater
for Swinton; they would not leave the fires, and the continual approach
of the lions during the night proved that they were wise in so doing.
There was no occasion for the lions to roar; the moaning of Begum, and
her clinging to the Major, the trembling of the dogs, and the uneasiness
of the cattle, invariably gave notice of lions being at hand. Shots
were fired off during the night, to keep them at a distance, but
otherwise the night was passed away undisturbed.

They started the following morning at daybreak, and, at the same time,
the Caffres took their departure to their own country. The ground over
which the caravan travelled was stony and sandy at intervals, and they
had not proceeded far before they again discovered a great variety of
game dispersed over the level plain. They did not, however, attempt to
pursue them, as they were anxious to go on as far as possible, so as to
give the oxen an opportunity of picking up what little food they could
during the middle of the day, at which time the Major and Alexander
proposed that they should go in pursuit of game. But before they had
travelled three hours, they were surprised at a cloud of dust, which
obscured the horizon, in the direction they were proceeding.

"What can that be?" said Alexande