The Press., 1894-11-08
IN A DESERT.

U
 the Limpopo river not many years since
 Two hunting friends were trekkiny
 through Bechunanland toward the Fam
 bezi, and it happened by great good for
 tune that just at the junction of tht
 Notwani and Limpopo rivers they found 1 outspanned the wagons of two hunters
 and traders southward bound from tht
 far interior. These men were travelling
 down country with heavy loads O.
 ivory, ostrich feathers, skins and other
 produce. and they had with them a bis
 troop of cattle, obtained in barter. h
 these fltful encounters in the African
 wilderness men are always we'll met,
 and it needed no pressing from the new
 found acquaintances to induce them tc
 outspan together and combine forces
 for Christmas cheer and Christmas
 chatter. A brief council of war soon
 settled the all important question ot
 oommissariat. Smallfield, the younger
 of the traders, had shot good rooibok
 the evening before, which furnished
 venison for all, and they had already
 baked store of bread from fresh Boer
 neal The newcomers, on their side,
 freshly equipped from Kimberley, could
 provide tinned plum puddings, timed
 tomatoes, peas, jams and other luxuries,
 including dried onions, most precious
 of vegetables in the veldt, and they had,
 further, some excellent Scotch whisky
 They had besides half dozen brace of guinea fowl and pheasants, shot during
 the day in the jungles bordering the
 river, so that all the concomitants of a
 capital African banquet were ready to
 hand.
 Just at sundown the preparations were complete, and no merrier party, you may swear, ever sat down to their Christmas meal. They supped by the light of roaring campfire, eked out by lantern or two placed on the cases that served for tables The servants were enjoying themselves at another fire a little distant; the oxen lay peacefully at their yokes; the wagons loomed large alongside, their white tents refecting cheerfully the ruddy blaze of the fire The night was perfect, still and warm, and the stars, like a million diamond sparks, scintillated in the intense indigo of the dome above. What wonder, then, that all felt happy and contented?
 Supper at length was over. The coffee kettle was banished to obscurity and the whisky produced The travellers lit their pipes and toasted their absent friends and each other, and then ensued long and delightful evening.
 The traders were two capital, manly fellows, we'll versed in the sports and tolls and pleasures of the far interior. The newcomers themselves had been in the hunting veldt before, and they had all, therefore, many things in common. Many and many yarn of the chase and adventure they exchanged; many head of gallant game they slew again by the cheerful blaze. The up country trekkers mentioned that they thought of trying new bit of veldt rather away from the beaten track, if they could but find wa ter in the desert and good guides and spoorers. They were bent on entering the wild and little known tract of coun- try north of the road to the Mabebe veldt. ra .r4
 Well, :" said the elder of the traders -Kenstonewas his name-''you' Il find game there after the rains-giraffe, gemsbok, hartebeest, eland, koodoo, roan antelope and perhaps few ele- phants or rhinoceros or two. But it's 8 wild, barren veldt. Tine country as you go north is good deal broken, and unless the rains have been good water is terribly scarce. r
 "As for myself, ; gazing rather mood fly at the campfire and stroking his l thick brown beard, II once went into | that veldt and never wish to see it | again. had most uncanny adventure l there, an experience I never again wish | to repeat if 1 live to be a hundred. In | all the years (and they are close on five | and twenty now) have been in the hunting veldt 1 never spent so incom- and horrible time as the | few days l am thinking of. Ughp' and the big man shivered as he spoke.
 Naturally the curiosity of his audi ence was at once excited. The younger trader, Smallfield, spoke first
 Why, George, ; he said, ''I never heard you speak of that country. I nev- CT even knew you had been in it. Whats the yarn? It must be something out of the common if it gives you the blues. You're not sentimental as far as remember '' *~-a e.--s
 No, Jim, returned Kenstone. "I never mentioned the thing to you or to my one else, bar perhaps two or three folks. It's II years gone since it all happened. My old partner, Angus (he's town in the colony nowl, who was with ne at the time. knows all about it, and reported some of the circumstances to Iransvaal Landdrost when we got pack. Otherwise I have never talked sbout the matter. 1 should only be and it's not pleasant topic U the best of times. It gave me very nasty fright at the time, 1 remember. however, it's all far enough away now. [ you and these gentl men would like o hear the yarn, why, I'll break my ule and tell you all about it. And, hind, what I tell you are solid facts. lou know don't blow, Jim, or spout all yarns for the benefit of down coun-- ry folks or bar loafers at Kimberley. What l saw 1 saw, and, please God, ope never to see again. '' ...sss
 All were as keen as mustard for the tory, and kenstonc went on.
 ell, let me fill my pipe, and here ] Oes:
 It was in 1874 that Angus and were 1aklng our third trip to the Lake - gaml country. This time we had got ave rom khama to trade and hunt in [ababe and the Chobe river country. 1d we meant to push even beyond to le region between the Sunta and the kavango if the fever would let us. We | ade a good trek of it across the thirst there had been very late rains that 'ar-and even after crossing the lake | yer we made good travelling we'll on ward the Mababe flat. We heard = om the Makobas and Masarwas along ' e river that there was still some wa r stanflincs in tho hx.nl. <,,a .<>.=- zr De