THE ASSEGAI. 29 



numerous, but, taking the number of head that he 

 killed one day with another, his average record of 

 sport would be found an exceedingly good one. 



On the morning in question he had bagged three 

 small buck, two being steinbok and the other a 

 duiker ; thus on this morning our combined spoils 

 were two guinea fowl, two and a half brace of larger 

 partridge, two hares, three buck, and last, though not 

 least, a prime-conditioned, full-grown porcupine. 



I am quite aware that stay-at-home sportsmen of 

 the modern school, those who are addicted to driving, 

 warm corners and such other innovations of the age, 

 may smile at the lowness of the number of head brought 

 to bag, but the combined weight of the game killed 

 was almost a load for a horse, and was procured before 

 the sun had more than half reached his meridian. 



It is surprising to see with what deftness the 

 natives can divest an animal of its skin, with no 

 other aid than that afforded them by the edge of the 

 assegai blade ; in fact, this weapon plays a prominent 

 part in all their avocations, and is as constantly in use, 

 and as skilfully handled, as is a jack-knife by a school- 

 boy. 



The skins of nearly all the smaller antelopes are 



