Page 141 - Adventures in Africa
P. 141

This,  however,  gave  us  a  very wide  scope*  and  we

                         fully expected  to  coine  back  with  plenty  of  game  of
                          some  sort.
                            W e  went  on  for  some  distance  without  meeting

                          with  any  live  creatures,  though  we  crossed  the  spoor
                         of  numerous  elands,  buffaloes,  giraffes,  and  occa­

                          sionally  of  elephants.  Neither  Hans  nor  jan  knew
                          more  of the  country than  we  did,  but  Harry  said  that
                          he had  brought  a  compass,  so  that we  should  have  no
                          difficulty  in  finding  our  way,  even  should  clouds

                          gather  in  the  sky  or  night  overtake  us.                    When,
                          however,  he  came  to  search  for  the  instrument  in  his

                          pocket,  it wras  not  to  be  found.
                             “ Never mind,"  he  observed,  ffas  the  sky  is  bright,
                          the  sun will  guide  us  by  day,  and  the  stars  by  night,
                          even  if we  are  kept  out,  and  there is  no  reason  why

                         we  should  be  if we  turn  back  again  in  good  time.”
                             On  we  went,  therefore,  intending  on  arriving  at

                          the  vlei,  to  wait  until  some  animals  should  come  to
                          drink,  which  they were  sure  to  do,  unless  there  were
                          other water-holes  in  the  neighbourhood.
                             W e  had  brought  very  little  food,  expecting  to  be

                          able  to  supply  ourselves  with  meat  and  fruits.  From
                          the  appearance  of  the  country we  had  no  doubt  that

                          we  should  meet  with  melons,  even  though  we  might
                          not  come  across  water  before we  arrived  at  the vim.
                             W e  had,  according  to  our  calculation,  gone  about
                          two-thirds  of  the  distance  without  having  shot  a

                          single  animal,  when  the  weather  began  to  change.
                          Clouds  gathered  in  the  sky,  and  a  thick  mist  swept

                          across  the  face  of  the  country,  such  as  occasionally,
                          though  not  often,  occurs  in that latitude.  W e agreed,
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