Attheeasternendthesehillshavecuriousfungoidorcup-shapedhollows，ofasizewhichsuggeststheideaofcratersWithinthesearemassesoftherockcrystallizedinthecolumnarformofthisformation。
　　Thetopsofthecolumnsarequitedistinct，ofthehexagonalform，likethebottomofthecellsofahoneycomb，buttheyarenotpartedfromeachotherasintheCaveofFingalInmanypartsthelava-streamsmayberecognized，fortheretherockisrentandsplitineverydirection，butnosoilisyetfoundintheintersticesWhenweweresittingintheevening，afterahotday，itwasquitecommontohearthesemassesofbasaltsplitandfallamongeachotherwiththepeculiarringingsoundwhichmakespeoplebelievethatthisrockcontainsmuchironSeverallargemasses，insplittingthusbythecoldactingsuddenlyonpartsexpandedbytheheatoftheday，haveslippeddownthesidesofthehills，and，impingingagainsteachother，haveformedcavitiesinwhichtheBakaatookrefugeagainsttheirenemies。
　　Thenumerouschinksandcranniesleftbythesehugefragmentsmadeitquiteimpossiblefortheirenemiestosmokethemout，aswasdonebytheBoerstothepeopleofMankopane。
　　Thismassofbasalt，aboutsixmileslong，hastilteduptherocksonboththeeastandwest；theseupheavedrocksaretheancientsilurianschistswhichformedthebottomofthegreatprimaevalvalley，and，likealltherecentvolcanicrocksofthiscountry，haveahotfountainintheirvicinity，namely，thatofSerinane。
　　InpassingthroughthesehillsonourwaynorthweenterapassnamedManakalongwe，orUnicorn’sPassTheunicornhereisalargeediblecaterpillar，withanerect，horn-liketail。
　　ThepasswasalsocalledPoraporaorgurglingofwater，fromastreamhavingrunthroughitThescenemusthavebeenverydifferentinformertimesfromwhatitisnowThisispartoftheRiverMahalapi，whichso-calledriverscarcelymeritsthename，anymorethanthemeadowsofEdinburghdeservethetitleofNorthLoch。
　　ThesehillsarethelastweshallseeformonthsThecountrybeyondconsistedoflargepatchesoftrap-coveredtufa，havinglittlesoilorvegetationexcepttuftsofgrassandwait-a-bitthorns，inthemidstofextensivesandy，grass-coveredplains。
　　Theseyellow-colored，grassyplains，withmoretloaandmahatlabushes，formquiteacharacteristicfeatureofthecountryTheyellowordun-colorprevailsduringagreatpartoftheyearTheBakwainhillsareanexceptiontotheusualflatsurface，fortheyarecoveredwithgreentreestotheirtops，andthevalleysareoftenofthemostlovelygreen。
　　Thetreesarelargertoo，andeventheplainsoftheBakwaincountrycontaintreesinsteadofbushesIfyoulooknorthfromthehillswearenowleaving，thecountrypartakesofthislattercharacter。
　　Itappearsasifitwereaflatcoveredwithaforestofordinary-sizedtreesfrom20to30feethigh，butwhenyoutraveloverittheyarenotsocloselyplantedbutthatawagonwithcaremaybeguidedamongthemThegrassgrowsintuftsofthesizeofone’shat，withbaresoftsandbetweenNowhereherehaveweanapproachtoEnglishlawns，orthepleasingappearanceofEnglishgreensward。
　　InnopartofthiscountrycouldEuropeangrainbecultivatedwithoutirrigationThenativesallcultivatethedourrhaorholcussorghum，maize，pumpkins，melons，cucumbers，anddifferentkindsofbeans；
　　andtheyareentirelydependentforthegrowthoftheseonrains。
　　Theirinstrumentofcultureisthehoe，andthechieflaborfallsonthefemaleportionofthecommunityInthisrespecttheBechuanascloselyresembletheCaffresThemenengageinhunting，milkthecows，andhavetheentirecontrolofthecattle；
　　theypreparetheskins，maketheclothing，andinmanyrespectsmaybeconsideredanationoftailors。
　　WhenatSekomi’swegenerallyhaveheardhispraisessoundedbyamanwhorisesatbreakofday，anduttersatthetopofhisvoicetheorationwhichthatrulerissaidtohavecomposedathisboguera。
　　Thisrepetitionofhis“leina“，ororation，issopleasingtoachief，thathegenerallysendsahandsomepresenttothemanwhodoesit。
　　JANUARY28THPassingontoLetloche，abouttwentymilesbeyondtheBamangwato，wefoundafinesupplyofwater。
　　Thisisapointofsomuchinterestinthatcountrythatthefirstquestionweaskofpassersbyis，“Haveyouhadwater？”thefirstinquiryanativeputstoafellow-countrymanis，“Whereistherain？”and，thoughtheyarebynomeansanuntruthfulnation，theanswergenerallyis，“Idon’tknowthereisnonewearekilledwithhungerandbythesun。”
　　Ifnewsisaskedfor，theycommencewith，“Thereisnonews：
　　Iheardsomeliesonly。”andthentellalltheyknow。
　　ThisspotwasMrGordonCumming’sfurtheststationnorth。
　　OurhouseatKolobenghavingbeenquiteinthehunting-country，rhinocerosandbuffaloesseveraltimesrushedpast，andIwasabletoshootthelattertwicefromourowndoorWewerefavoredbyvisitsfromthisfamoushunterduringeachofthefiveyearsofhiswarfarewithwildanimalsManyEnglishgentlemenfollowingthesamepursuitspaidtheirguidesandassistantssopunctuallythatinmakingarrangementsforthemwehadtobecarefulthatfourdidnotgowheretwoonlywerewanted：theyknewsowellthatanEnglishmanwouldpaythattheydependedimplicitlyonhiswordofhonor，andnotonlywouldtheygoandhuntforfiveorsixmonthsinthenorth，enduringallthehardshipsofthattryingmodeoflife，withlittleelsebutmeatofgametosubsiston，buttheywillinglywentsevenhundredoreighthundredmilestoGraham’sTown，receivingforwagesonlyamusketworthfifteenshillings。
　　Nooneeverdeceivedthemexceptoneman；andasIbelievedthathewasafflictedwithaslightdegreeoftheinsanityofgreediness，IupheldthehonoroftheEnglishnamebypayinghisdebts。
　　AstheguidesofMrCummingwerefurnishedthroughmyinfluence，andusuallygotsomestrictchargesastotheirbehaviorbeforeparting，lookinguponmeinthelightofafather，theyalwayscametogivemeanaccountoftheirservice，andtoldmostofthosehuntingadventureswhichhavesincebeengiventotheworld，beforewehadthepleasureofhearingourfriendrelatethemhimselfbyourownfireside。
　　Ihadthusatolerablygoodopportunityoftestingtheiraccuracy，andIhavenohesitationinsayingthatforthosewholovethatsortofthingMrCumming’sbookconveysatruthfulideaofSouthAfricanhunting。
　　Somethingsinitrequireexplanation，butthenumbersofanimalssaidtohavebeenmetwithandkilledarebynomeansimprobable，consideringtheamountoflargegametheninthecountry。
　　Twoothergentlemenhuntinginthesameregiondestroyedinoneseasonnofewerthanseventy-eightrhinocerosesaloneSportsmen，however，wouldnotnowfindanequalnumber，forasgunsareintroducedamongthetribesallthesefineanimalsmeltawaylikesnowinspring。
　　Inthemoreremotedistricts，wherefire-armshavenotyetbeenintroduced，withthesingleexceptionoftherhinoceros，thegameistobefoundinnumbersmuchgreaterthanMrCummingeversawThetsetseis，however，aninsuperablebarriertohuntingwithhorsesthere，andEuropeanscandonothingonfootThestepoftheelephantwhenchargingthehunter，thoughapparentlynotquick，issolongthatthepaceequalsthespeedofagoodhorseatacanterAyoungsportsman，nomatterhowgreatamongpheasants，foxes，andhounds，woulddowelltopausebeforeresolvingtobravefeverfortheexcitementofriskingsuchaterrificcharge；
　　thescreamortrumpetingofthisenormousbrutewheninfuriatedismorelikewhattheshriekofaFrenchsteam-whistlewouldbetoamanstandingonthedangerouspartofarail-roadthananyotherearthlysound：
　　ahorseunusedtoitwillsometimesstandshiveringinsteadoftakinghisrideroutofdangerIthashappenedoftenthatthepooranimal’slegsdotheirdutysobadlythathefallsandcauseshisridertobetroddenintoamummy；or，losinghispresenceofmind，theridermayallowthehorsetodashunderatreeandcrackhiscraniumagainstabranchAsonechargefromanelephanthasmadeembryoNimrodsbidafinaladieutothechase，incipientGordonCummingsmighttrytheirnervesbystandingonrailwaystilltheengineswerewithinafewyardsofthemHuntingelephantsonfootwouldbenotlessdangerous，*
　　unlesstheCeylonmodeofkillingthembyoneshotcouldbefollowed：
　　ithasneverbeentriedinAfrica。
　　*Sincewritingtheabovestatement，ithasreceivedconfirmationinthereporteddeathofMrWahlbergwhilehuntingelephantsonfootatLakeNgami。
　　AdvancingtosomewellsbeyondLetloche，ataspotnamedKanne，wefoundthemcarefullyhedgedroundbythepeopleofaBakalaharivillagesituatednearthespotWehadthensixtymilesofcountryinfrontwithoutwater，andverydistressingfortheoxen，asitisgenerallydeepsoftsandThereisonesucking-place，aroundwhichwerecongregatedgreatnumbersofBushwomenwiththeiregg-shellsandreeds。
　　Mathuluanenowcontainednowater，andMotlatsaonlyasmallsupply，sowesenttheoxenacrossthecountrytothedeepwellNkauane，andhalfwerelostonthewayWhenfoundatlasttheyhadbeenfivewholedayswithoutwaterVerylargenumbersofelandsweremetwithasusual，thoughtheyseldomcangetasipofdrink。
　　Manyoftheplainsherehavelargeexpansesofgrasswithouttrees，butyouseldomseeatreelesshorizonTheostrichisgenerallyseenquietlyfeedingonsomespotwherenoonecanapproachhimwithoutbeingdetectedbyhiswaryeyeAsthewagonmovesalongfartothewindwardhethinksitisintendingtocircumventhim，soherushesupamileorsofromtheleeward，andsoneartothefrontoxenthatonesometimesgetsashotatthesillybirdWhenhebeginstorunallthegameinsightfollowhisexampleIhaveseenthisfollytakenadvantageofwhenhewasfeedingquietlyinavalleyopenatbothends。
　　Anumberofmenwouldcommencerunning，asiftocutoffhisretreatfromtheendthroughwhichthewindcame；andalthoughhehadthewholecountryhundredsofmilesbeforehimbygoingtotheotherend，onhemadlyrushedtogetpastthemen，andsowasspearedHeneverswervesfromthecourseheonceadopts，butonlyincreaseshisspeed。
　　Whentheostrichisfeedinghispaceisfromtwentytotwenty-twoinches；
　　whenwalking，butnotfeeding，itistwenty-sixinches；
　　andwhenterrified，asinthecasenoticed，itisfromelevenandahalftothirteenandevenfourteenfeetinlengthOnlyinonecasewasIatallsatisfiedofbeingabletocounttherateofspeedbyastop-watch，and，ifIamnotmistaken，therewerethirtyintenseconds；
　　generallyone’seyecannomorefollowthelegsthanitcanthespokesofacarriage-wheelinrapidmotionIfwetaketheabovenumber，andtwelvefeetstrideastheaveragepace，wehaveaspeedoftwenty-sixmilesanhourItcannotbeverymuchabovethat，andisthereforeslowerthanarailwaylocomotiveTheyaresometimesshotbythehorsemanmakingacrosscuttotheirundeviatingcourse，butfewEnglishmeneversucceedinkillingthem。
　　Theostrichbeginstolayhereggsbeforeshehasfixedonaspotforanest，whichisonlyahollowafewinchesdeepinthesand，andaboutayardindiameterSolitaryeggs，namedbytheBechuanas“lesetla“，arethusfoundlyingforsakenalloverthecountry，andbecomeapreytothejackal。
　　Sheseemsaversetoriskingaspotforanest，andoftenlayshereggsinthatofanotherostrich，sothatasmanyasforty-fivehavebeenfoundinonenestSomeeggscontainsmallconcretionsofthematterwhichformstheshell，asoccursalsointheeggofthecommonfowl：
　　thishasgivenrisetotheideaofstonesintheeggsBothmaleandfemaleassistintheincubations；butthenumbersoffemalesbeingalwaysgreatest，itisprobablethatcasesoccurinwhichthefemaleshavetheentirecharge。
　　Severaleggslieoutofthenest，andarethoughttobeintendedasfoodforthefirstofthenewly-hatchedbroodtilltherestcomeoutandenablethewholetostartinquestoffoodIhaveseveraltimesseennewly-hatchedyounginchargeofthecock，whomadeaverygoodattemptatappearinglameintheploverfashion，inordertodrawofftheattentionofpursuersTheyoungsquatdownandremainimmovablewhentoosmalltorunfar，butattainawonderfuldegreeofspeedwhenaboutthesizeofcommonfowlsItcannotbeassertedthatostrichesarepolygamous，thoughtheyoftenappeartobeso。
　　Whencaughttheyareeasilytamed，butareofnouseintheirdomesticatedstate。