which would be in the middle, amongst the hill-ridges by Hebron.
Right to the foot of the hills the country was flat. We passed several saltpans which, though small, had retained their water to a later period than usual, and were even now frequented by wild geese (Chenalope) and cranes. The river took a wide circuit towards the left, and it was a stiff two days’ journey by which we traversed the secant of the curve. The magnificent grass plain that we crossed belonged already to the Transvaal; that on the other side, which was covered tolerably well with bushwood rising above the tall grass, was at that time claimed by Gassibone; but now both alike are included in the Transvaal. We saw, I think, more bustards than at any place I ever visited in all my travels; before us, behind us, in every direction, far and near, they seemed to swarm.
Taking Gert with me, I went into a wood adjoining our road in search of insects, and found some goat-chafers, as well as two kinds of bark-beetles (Bostrichidæ). Here and there we came across some skulls of gnus, sufficient in number to convince me that until quite recently they had frequented the district, though now they have retreated into the interior, and remain in the more northern plains between the Harts and Molapo Rivers, and in the plains of the Klipspruit, which, being more open, are far less favourable for antelope-stalking.
From Bloemhof we had been travelling nearly
