THE LOWER BENCHES. 331 



landed in the right place. We discussed the 

 matter. It ended, of course, in OUT sneaking 

 down there ; I with the Springfield, and C. with 

 his knife unsheathed. Our precautions and trepi- 

 dations were wasted. The leopard had carried 

 the hartebeeste bodily some distance, had thrust 

 it under a bush, and had departed. C. surmised 

 it would return towards evening. 



Therefore we continued after kudu. We 

 found old signs, proving that the beasts visited 

 this country, but nothing fresh. We saw, how- 

 ever, the first sing- sing, some impalla, some 

 klipspringer, and Chanler's reed-buck. 



At evening we made a crafty stalk atop the 

 mesa-like foothills to a point overlooking the 

 leopard's kill. We lay here looking the place 

 over inch by inch through our glasses, when an 

 ejaculation of disgust from Kongoni called our 

 attention. There at another spot that con- 

 founded beast sat like a house cat watching 

 us cynically. Either we had come too soon, or 

 she had heard us and retired to what she con- 

 sidered a safe distance. There was of course no 

 chance of getting nearer ; so I sat down, for a 

 steadier hold, and tried her anyway. At the 

 shot she leaped high in the air, rolled over once, 

 then recovered her feet and streaked off at full 



