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。