Mr. Clifford and Benita had started upon their mad journey about three
o'clock in the afternoon, and when the sun began to set they found
themselves upon this plain fifteen or sixteen miles from Bambatse, of
which they had long lost sight, for it lay beyond the intervening hills.
Near to them was a kopje, where they had outspanned by a spring of water
when on their recent journey, and since they did not dare to travel in
the dark, here they determined to off-saddle, for round this spring was
good grass for the horses.
As it chanced, they came upon some hartebeeste here which were trekking
down to drink, but although they would have been glad of meat, they were
afraid to shoot, fearing lest they should attract attention; nor for the
same reason did they like to light a fire. So having knee-haltered the
horses in such fashion that they could not wander far, and turned them
loose to feed, they sat down under a tree, and made some sort of a meal
off the biltong and cooked corn which they had brought with them. By the
time this was finished darkness fell, for there was little moon, so that
nothing remained to do except to sleep within a circle of a few dead
thorn-boughs which they had drawn about their camp. This, then, they
did, and so weary were they both, that notwithstanding all the emotions
through which they had passed, and their fears lest lions should attack
them--for of these brutes there were many in this veld--rested soundly
and undisturbed till within half an hour of dawn.
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