158 RENCONTRE WITH TWO NATIVES. 



marks that they had been runmng, probably frighten- 

 ed by my gmi. At once conceiving the idea of catch- 

 ing them, and if possible making them carry home my 

 gazelles, I followed up their spoor as if they had 

 been game, through the woods and up the hills. 

 When I got amongst the large blocks of rock I lost 

 the tracks, and commenced a retreat ; but when near 

 the foot of the hill I heard a cough a little in front of 

 me, and peering through the forest saw two natives 

 sitting on a rock, with both bows and arrows. I ap- 

 proached them cautiously, and they did not see me 

 till within some forty yards of them. The moment 

 they perceived me they both jumped to their feet, but 

 seeing I was alone, stood their ground. I felt a little 

 uncomfortable as I saw them fiddling with their bows 

 and arrows, and resolved that in case they should 

 attempt fitting an arrow to the bow, they should not 

 have the first shot. I stood still when within thirty 

 yards of them, when they said something Avhich I could 

 not understand. I told them I was an Englishman, 

 but they made no reply. I then said, " Nyama 

 wafFa " (game, or, literally, meat, is dead). As they 

 ^ seemed a little nervous, I laid down my rifle and 

 approached them. When I had got within fifteen 

 yards, they moved off the rock, and as they seemed 

 inclined to bolt, I stood still, and saying, '''Zacoonoo, 

 zacoonoo" (Come here, come here), turned towards 

 where I had left the rifle. They pointed to me to go 

 on, and as I did so they followed. 



While walking along to where I had left the ga- 

 zelles, with these men about twenty yards behind 

 me — for I looked back every five yards, to see 



