4
Seven Years in South Africa.
never disturb them; we allow strangers to shoot them, but for our own part we like to see them flying about.” I admired his sentiment, and wished that it was more shared by the Dutch farmers in general.
![Pond near Coetze’s farm.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Seven_Years_in_South_Africa%2C_page_004%2C_pond_near_Coetze%27s_farm.jpg/450px-Seven_Years_in_South_Africa%2C_page_004%2C_pond_near_Coetze%27s_farm.jpg)
POND NEAR COETZE’S FARM.
The property was partially wooded, and extended both into Griqualand West and into the Orange Free State. Amongst other game upon it, there was a large herd of striped gnus.
On the next day but one we made the difficult passage of the Vaal at Blignaut’s Pont. From the two river-banks I obtained some skins of birds, and several varieties of leaf-beetles (Platycorynus).