THE CAKACAL WILD-FOWI. ABUNDANT. 135 



ammunition, one of them proposed — and the suggestion was 

 taken into serious consideration — that they should pull him 

 down by the tail ! 



The poorer of the Damaras, when hard pressed for food, 

 eat the flesh of the leopard, the hyaena, and many other beasts 

 of prey. 



The caracal {felis caracal), or the wild-cat, as it is gener- 

 ally called in these parts, was not uncommon in the neigh- 

 borhood of Schmelen's Hope. The fur 'of this animal is 

 warm and handsome, and is much esteemed by the natives, 

 who convert the skins into carosses, &c. 



According to Professor Thunberg, who gives it on the 

 authority of the Dutch boers, the skin of the caracal is also 

 " very efficacious as a discutient when applied to parts af- 

 fected with cold or rheumatism." 



CHAPTER Xn. 



Wild-fowl abundant.— The Great Bustard.— The Termites.— Wild 

 Bees. — Mushrooms. — The Chief Zwartbooi. — Return of Mr. Galton. 

 — He makes a Treaty with Jonker. — He visits Rehoboth. — Misdo- 

 ings of John Waggoner and Gabriel. — Change of Servants. — Swarm 

 of Caterpillars. — A reconnoitring Expedition. — Thunder-storm. — 

 The Omatako Mountains. — Zebra-flesh a God-send. — Tropical Phe- 

 nomenon. — Tne Damai-as not remarkable for Veracity. — Encamp 

 in an Ant-hill . — Return to Schmelen's Hope. — Preparations for vis- 

 iting Omanboiiae. 



We never fared better than at Schmelen's Hope. Besides 

 the larger game mentioned, our table was plentifully "sup- 

 plied with geese, ducks. Guinea-fowls, francolins, grouse, and 

 so forth. The large bustard {otis kori, Burch.), the Soutli 

 African j^aauw, was, moreover, very abundant, but so shy 

 that to kill it, even with the rifle, was considered a dexter- 

 ous exploit. One that I shot weighed no less than twenty- 

 eight pounds. I hnve since reppnfpdlv killr'd African bust- 



