lightful shady grove close to the water. Here it was agreed we
should fix our abode for some time, and establish our head-quarters
during the proposed hunting-parties and excursions, which it was
our principal object to make in this vicinity.
CHAPTER XVII.
OCCURRENCES ON THE BANKS OF THE KY-GARIEP.
O u r first care was to uncover the Bushmen’s Kysi-pits, and make
them visible, in order that our oxen might avoid falling into them.
Many of these holes were found every where along the woods which
border the river. They were placed lengthwise, and dug exactly
in the paths made by the Hippopotami in their way out from their
watery retreat, to browse on the herbage of the grove. They were,
as being intended to entrap this huge animal, several times larger
than the game-pits at Spuigslang Fountain, and proportionally deep.
By the enormous bones which lay scattered about near one of them,
it appeared that a hippopotamus had lately been caught and eaten ;
and the remains of some Bushman huts close by, and probably
erected only for the occasion, showed how determined they were to
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