ZULU VERSUS BRITISHER. 57 



and in doing so became nearly extinguished, for my 

 foot caught a tangle of weeds, and, before I could 

 prevent the catastrophe, went sprawling on all-fours 

 into the black, slimy bottom. I soon recovered 

 myself, it is true, but in what a state! wet through, 

 and promiscuously plastered over with adhesive filth, 

 the accumulation of years of decayed vegetation. If 

 this misadventure had happened to any other person, 

 I should have laughed ; but when I saw that my 

 native was enjoying my discomfiture, I became wroth, 

 and peremptorily ordered him to my aid. 



In spite of my condition I nearly became con- 

 vulsed, as again and again we Zulu and Britisher 

 clutched, at the bird and missed it, each endeavouring 

 in his efforts to outdo the other. But I was handi- 

 capped too heavily, for I was clothed, and those 

 clothes, being wet, stuck to my skin like wax, while 

 " the gentleman of colour " was nearly as naked as 

 our forefathers are reported to have been in the 

 Garden of Eden. Not far off, on a neighbouring 

 knoll, was my friend, from whose throat came roars 

 of mirth, expressive of the delight he experienced 

 in witnessing my discomfiture, and at his feet reclined 

 my confounded pointer, whose absence up to this 



