mountains in our front.

"After a time I called April to my fireside and interrogated him. He
informed me that the Bushmen were speaking of a kraal of natives settled
behind the mountain chain; that these natives were governed by a
wonderful white-skinned woman; that they were quarrelsome and
treacherous; and that we might have trouble with them. Having learned
thus much, I tumbled into my wagon, pulled up the sheepskin kaross, and
fell asleep.

"Early next morning I was up making ready for a longish ride. I was
mighty curious to see this native village that the Bushmen spoke of, and
especially the white-skinned chieftainess; at the same time I determined
to prepare for any eventuality. I sent the wagons, after breakfast,
back upon our spoor again, directing my men to camp in a strong place
between some hills, more than a day's journey back. Here there was good
water; the camp could be rendered pretty impregnable by the help of a
_scherm_ of thorn-bushes; and, with my horses, I and my attendant could
easily retreat thither in case of trouble. I now selected my two best
ponies, and, taking April with me, and the two Bushmen to act as guides,
we set off for the mountain. My man and I were each armed with a good
double rifle, and had plenty of ammunition, water-bottles, and some
_billtong_ (sun-dried meat), biscuits, coffee, and a kettle; and, as I
knew there were no horses among the natives in these regions, I had
little fear of escape, if escape became necessary.

"We rode all that day across the big plain. It was a perfect treat to
see the game on every side of us. There were rhinoceroses, elands,
hartebeests, Burchell's zebras, blue wildebeests, and tsesseby. They
were excessively tame, and often came close up and stared at us. We
fired no shot, however, but rode quietly on, occasionally diverging a
little to avoid some sour-looking black rhinoceros, which stood,
threatening and suspicious, directly in our path. We camped that night
in a little grove of thorn trees just beneath the mountain.

"At earliest dawn of the next day we were up and away. The Bushmen led
us to a kloof or gorge in the mountain chain, the only approach to the
kraal we sought. We rode for two hours up a slight ascent over a very
rough, rocky path; and then, suddenly turning an angle of the
mountain-wall, we came in full view of the native town. A broad grassy
valley, perhaps seven miles square, lay before us. This plain was
dot