A RACE WITH A KAFFIR. 



stop at the half-mile mark, where there is a slight 

 bend in the road, and from whence they can 

 witness the start. It was agreed that the race 

 should be started by a rifle-shot fired behind the 

 runners. The Englishman has doffed his hat and 

 coat, and now stands ready in a light jersey and a 

 pair of old flannels cut down to just above the knee. 

 He is not so fit as he would be for an English 

 championship, for he has not done much running 

 lately ; but for the last month he has had any 

 amount of hard walking exercise while shooting 

 about the mountains, and is in excellent health. 



The contrast between the rich chocolate colour 

 of the Kaffir and the white skin of the Englishman, 

 as they stand prepared, is striking ; as to physique, 

 there is not much to choose between them. Segani 

 stands about five feet eleven inches, weighs ten stone 

 seven pounds, and has splendid musculardevelopment 

 about his chest and shoulders, and the dying sun, 

 lighting upon his gleaming skin, shows up these 

 features to perfection. Below, he is not quite so 

 well set up as his opponent, nor are his legs and 

 thighs so good ; but he is an excellent specimen 

 of a Kaffir, and his friends can put forth no stouter 

 champion. The Englishman stands six feet one inch, 

 weighs, in training, eleven stone ; though slim and 

 somewhat lean, he has broad shoulders, with plenty 

 of room for lung power, to which, no doubt, he owes 

 his staying qualities, and is well set up on excellent 

 clean-cut limbs. 



The brother of our host takes up his position 

 behind the two whom he has placed on the starting 

 scratch. " Get ready!" he calls out; another 

 second, and the rifle cracks. 



