j6 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



of the natives to cut out the ivory that had fallen 

 to my gun. This is always a disgusting job, for the 

 carcasses become fearfully extended by the genera- 

 tion of gas in the stomachs, which, if pricked, emits 

 the most fearful stench that it is possible to con- 

 ceive. Of course, the actual labour of cutting out 

 is the work of the attendants, but, for all that, it is 

 far from a pleasant performance to superintend. We 

 had thought the country deserted, but when we 

 arrived at the body of the beast I had killed, we 

 discovered our mistake, for round it was a crowd of 

 natives of both sexes, all rejoicing in nudity, and 

 fighting like fiends over every piece of meat that 

 they could detach with their assegais. Their mode 

 of operation in the art of butchering was simplicity 

 itself. The men did the carving, and when the 

 piece was detached, threw it to their better halves, 

 who immediately bolted with their prize to hide it 

 in such places as they deemed safe from the prying 

 eyes of their sisters. All were therefore abundantly 

 besmeared with blood and even more offensive 

 matter, making the whole pack so disgusting to look 

 at that, one could not help regretting that he be- 

 longed to the same genus. At first these people 

 evinced great timidity at our approach, but the 

 young Mantatee — of whose tribe they were — assured 

 them of our good intentions, when shortly familiarity 

 bred contempt, which it invariably does among 

 savages. A climax was soon reached ; a giant 



