20 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



After this initiation in crocodile shooting, my Irish 

 friend went in for it in earnest. How many he killed 

 that afternoon I could not say ; only this I do know, 

 that he kept up a very brisk fire till after sunset. 



As some flesh I had left over a pool to be fly- 

 blown and so attract fish was close at hand, I went 

 to inspect it, but it was gone. How it had been 

 taken I could not say, so I ordered a piece of the 

 hippopotamus meat to be hung in its place ; for I 

 was determined to have some fishing, if only to learn 

 what kinds and varieties of the finny tribe were con- 

 tained in these waters. 



All the wild beasts of the forest seemed to have 

 selected this neighbourhood for a rendezvous, for 

 such a row as they made throughout the night 

 was quite unprecedented in the experience of 

 our Zulus. Umpiqua, whom I deemed to be 

 the most experienced, as well as the oldest, of our 

 hunters, foretells that we will yet have trouble with 

 the lions ; for, says he, " there's an old woman 

 among them that is always sniffing around the 

 kraal, as if she were looking for a place to break 

 into the camp." He seems to regard the females as 

 the more dangerous sex. 



However, I'll see if I can't stop her little game 

 to-morrow night by setting a gun for her ladyship. 

 There is no doubt but that the stranded carcass of 

 the hippo has much influence in attracting the pre- 

 sence of these night prowlers. 



