he
well-mounted party in advance. As soon as they were near, our party
again galloped off and left them behind. Thus they continued for four
or five miles, the Matabili force pursuing them, or rather following the
tracks of the waggons, when they observed a belt of trees before them
about a mile off; this the Major considered as a good screen to enable
them to alter their course without being perceived by the enemy. They
therefore galloped forward, and as soon as they were hidden by the
trees, turned off in a direction by which they made certain to fall in
with the track which the waggons had made on their departure during the
night.

They had ridden about two miles, still concealed in the wood, when they
had the satisfaction of perceiving the Matabili force still following at
a rapid pace the tracks of the waggons on the river-side. Having
watched them for half an hour, as they now considered that all was safe,
they again continued their course, so as to fall in with the waggons.

"I think we are clear of them now," said the Major; "they have evidently
fallen into the trap proposed by that clever little fellow, Omrah."

"He is a very intelligent boy," observed Alexander, "and, travelling in
this country, worth his weight in gold."

"I wish Swinton would make him over to me," said the Major; "but,
Alexander, do you observe what a change there is already in the
country?"

"I do indeed," replied Alexander; "and all ahead of us it appears to be
still more sterile and bare."

"Yes, when you leave the rivers, you leave vegetation of all kinds
almost. There is no regular rainy season at all here, Swinton says; we
may expect occasional torrents of rain during three months, but they are
very uncertain; the mountains attract the greater portion of the rain,
and sometimes there will not be a shower on the plains for the whole
year."

"How far shall we have to travel before we fall in with water again?"
inquired Alexander.

"Swinton says that there may be water in a river about sixty miles from
where we started last night; if not, we shall have to proceed about
thirty miles further, to the Gykoup or Vet River. After that we shall
have to depend for many days upon the water we may find in the holes,
which, as the season is now coming on, may probably be filled by the
rain."

Alexander and his party rode for seven or eight miles before they fell
in with the tracks of the caravan; they then pulled up their jaded
ho