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CHAPTER XXVI. 



AN UNCOMMON PET. 



But to return to the game. I left the cow rhinoceros 

 and her calf in a jungle of reeds, through which we 

 could not " spoor," and exceedingly dangerous to 

 traverse. At that time I thought that I had done 

 with this couple. Not so ! as the reader will learn. 

 Soon after breakfast a Mantatee reached camp. He 

 was very much excited, fatigued, and out of breath. 

 On his way from a distant and unknown kraal, his 

 course took him near my hunting range of yesterday 

 afternoon, where he was pursued by a rhinoceros 

 and her calf for a considerable distance, and only 

 escaped by gaining a tree, after having some very 

 close chances of losing his life. All was now bustle 

 and excitement in the laager. Assegais were sharp- 

 ened and belts tightened by the people, while I lost 

 not the opportunity to sponge out my rirle and reload 

 it with an extra drachm of powder to each charge. 

 Half-an-hour's sharp walk took us to where the 

 Mantatee had parted company with the irate beasts. 

 I expect that here my informant had had a very 

 narrow escape, for one of the branches of the mimosa 

 tree in which he took shelter, about five feet from 

 the ground, was broken short off by the trunk, while 



