248 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



died. These men belonged to Booby ; they had beer 

 hunting jackals at a place called Bootlonamy, which ii 

 half way from Booby to Bamangwato, and they were 

 now returning home with their spoils. They at once 

 pointed out to me the correct line of march for Ba- 

 mangwato, and advised me of a fine vley in the forest 

 one march in advance. 



Having breakfasted, I inspanned, and after trekking 

 for about six hours through dense forest we reached the 

 vley. On the march it was necessary to have constant 

 recourse to our axes to clear a path for the wagons. I 

 was much delighted with the little loch to which wo 

 then came : it covered about an acre, in shape a circle, 

 and its margin was imprinted with the fresh spoor of a 

 variety of wild animals, such as giraffe, rhinoceros, buf- 

 falo, sassayby, pallah, zebra, lion, &c. We encamped 

 beneath two wide-spreading shady trees, and I at once 

 saddled up, and rode forth with Kleinboy to hunt, our 

 flesh being at an end. I had ridden about half a mile 

 in a northeasterly course, through shady groves of mo- 

 kala-trees, when suddenly I observed a stately giraffe 

 walk slowly across my path, and crop the leaves from 

 the upper branches of a mokala-tree about a hundred 

 yards in advance. This was a fine look-out : with hasty 

 hand I shifted my saddle from " Sunday" to the Old 

 Gray, and ordering Kleinboy to set the pack-saddle on 

 " Sunday" and listen for shots, I rode slowly toward 

 the giraffe. As I advanced I perceived another giraffe 

 standing looking at me a little to my left, which gave 

 the alarm by starting off, when I stirred my steed, and 

 on rounding an intervening clump of trees I came full 

 in sight of a troop of eight giraffes cantering before me. 

 In another minute I was in the middle of them, and 

 selecting a fine fat cow, I rode hard at her, and fired 



