60 SOUTH AFRICA. 



this pestiferous country to take advantage of the 

 reckless and cruel slaughter these hunters in- 

 variably commit from the mere love of bloodshed 

 especially that which can be effected with safety. 



And at the expense of a little further digression 

 I may mention that giraffe meat and marrow, 

 when obtained from any but the old bulls, would 

 be a treat to an alderman even after a rib- 

 distending dose of turtle soup. Well, when we 

 were at the Setabi drift (or ford), and about to 

 leave the game country, a camp was pitched for a 

 rest and some perch fishing. The " boys " got 

 leave for a day's hunt, which resulted in the death 

 of a fat quagga to their intense delight. Un- 

 fortunately I lent them my guns, and was quietly 

 reading in the waggon, when a young English 

 Africander who was travelling in our company, 

 and had gone out with two Boers before I awoke, 

 brought in the news that they had wounded a 

 lion not half a mile off, which, with his mate, they 

 had found feeding on a captured Sassabi antelope, 

 begging me at the same time to help them to 

 kill him if possible. 



Having loaned a very dilapidated Martini and a 

 few cartridges, I mounted my friend's horse, and 



