260 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



for an adjoining clump of reeds. Having reloaded 

 bolh rifles, we followed up our game ; the piece of 

 cover selected by the cow was not over a quarter of 

 an acre, yet it was dangerous work to enter it. 

 However, my Zulu would do so ; and the way he 

 got chevied by that old female kept me in constant 

 dread for his safety. My attendant's rashness 

 afforded me a fresh chance to use my rifle, when the 

 second shot proved fatal. 



Having now procured meat in abundance, I 

 turned my face towards home. On reaching the 

 camp I found so many natives assembled as to make 

 the place resemble a fair. These people had not 

 been slow in obeying my behest, for each had 

 brought for sale some commodity of barter, and all 

 of value in their way. Their rice, tobacco, mealies, 

 millet, gourds, melons, and ground nuts, for all of 

 which the owners were perfectly willing to be paid 

 in flesh, were a great blessing, as my supplies were 

 getting low. The rice — that staple of food which I 

 never tire to partake of — was the very best I ever 

 ate ; and if prepared with the same knowledge and 

 care as we do ours, would, unquestionably, have 

 rivalled it in attractiveness of appearance. 



The tobacco also was excellent, but stronger 

 than I generally use ; this, I think, was the result 

 of the method employed to cure it. It was made 

 up in small packages of about half a pound each, 

 bearing a strong resemblance in shape, to what is 



