236 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



a string passed through its centre, empowers our 

 youths to draw after them huge stones. When the 

 young hippo reaches maturity, the ball of the sole 

 doubtless becomes developed, therefore projects, 

 and through use is hardened, so that it could not 

 in mature years be employed in the same manner. 

 Wonderful truly are the provisions of nature, yet 

 how few of them cannot be elucidated by practical 

 experience ! The report of my rifle soon brought 

 the whole camp to where I was engaged. The 

 crowd seemed unusually jocose and larky. At first 

 I thought that the prospect of a gorge upon the 

 most succulent animal food Africa produces, was the 

 reason of this friskiness, but soon I was undeceived ; 

 the demonstration was only a welcome to whom do 

 you think ? two of Dillon's Zulus. Grinning from 

 ear to ear, looking so fat and sleek and well cared 

 for, each advanced close to me, raised his right 

 hand, and uttered the talismanic word, " M'kose." 

 I could have hugged the swarthy, stalwart, affec- 

 tionate creatures, but my heart was too full for some 

 moments, to attempt movement, or speech, for I felt 

 that again I belonged to a civilised world ; that my 

 countryman was within reach of me, and that an 

 early reunion was in the immediate future. For 

 truth to tell, for days I apprehended some catas- 

 trophe had occurred to my friend, and dreaded the 

 return journey alone, as one does commencing an 

 undertaking that he feels too great for his strength, 



