226 LARGE GAME. chap. v. 



in by all those who belonged to the same, until he had 

 got fairly inside, and had detached the two buffalo tails 

 that announced what kind of game it was, the death of 

 which he was thus celebrating. 



This singing of the hunting-song — " ukuhuba," as it 

 is called — is a native custom almost invariably followed 

 when the hunter has killed any large game ; and the 

 chant, though somewhat monotonous, is pleasant, and, to 

 those accustomed to it, very inspiring. It is often sung 

 when a body of hunters are starting together in the morn- 

 ing, and I have seen lame or otherwise disabled men 

 almost crying at not being able to go out when they 

 heard it. It bears a strong resemblance to the war-song, 

 which, when sung by a large body of men, so excites 

 their wild natures that it is unsafe for a stranger or 

 European to go near them for a time. 



Several more men dropped in by twos and threes, 

 some with and some without the tails of slaughtered 

 game as trophies, but still eight, and those the best of the 

 hunters, had not returned ; and the twilight was darken- 

 ing before we heard their song, which they were singing 

 so loudly that it was evident then- success had been great. 

 As they marched up in Indian file, headed by my prin- 

 cipal hunter Umdumela, we could see that the last man 

 was carrying something. 



It was too dark to see what, but I concluded that 

 it was the tit-bits of some animal they had killed ; but 

 when, instead of turning into their own camp, they kej)t 

 on to mine, still chanting, while their leader shouted 

 to those already arrived to turn out and join them, I 

 at once knew that something unusual had happened, 



