86 SLAUGHTER OF A GOAT. 



skilled in the use of firearms. However, he made 

 such a shocking exhibition, and displayed such 

 thorough ignorance of the simplest method usually 

 adopted in taking an aim and firing a shot, that at 

 my desire he was finally deprived of the weapon, lest 

 he might manage to shoot some of us by mistake. 



After three hours' toil, during which time we scarcely 

 managed to get over one solitary mile, a light but 

 favourable breeze sprung up, which, after shoving us 

 along about half a mile, died away again. As the bank 

 here admitted of tracking, at Mr. Young's request I 

 jumped ashore, and, taking the lead with the rope, man- 

 aged, with the assistance of the crew, to pull the boat 

 another mile up the river, when, in consequence of get- 

 ting amongst reeds again, we were compelled to give 

 it up and return to the oars. The Makololos, how- 

 ever, would 7iot work, and as wind and current were 

 against us, and we were making no progress, Mr. Young 

 ordered a halt for luncheon. This work was truly 

 wearisome. 



While we were ashore the goat given us by Gegara 

 was sentenced to death, and it was disgusting to see the 

 manner in which the head butcher of our party con- 

 ducted the execution. After many vain attempts to cut 

 the poor beast's throat with a knife as blunt as it well 

 could be, the goat broke away and ran in and out 

 amongst us, bleeding from a jagged wound near the 

 jaw. However, it was soon recaptured, when trying 

 to make its way back to its native village, and I was 

 obliged to lend the professor my knife to complete 

 his work. I am sure that had the goat got clean 

 away, and reached its home, it would, with the ghastly 



