ii8 THE HUNTER'S ARCS. 



windward of the birds, keeping at such a distance 

 from them as not to alarm them, but, if possible, 

 drive them a little before him and towards me. 



Thus instructed, my servant left, while I, after 

 some trouble, got into the donga. It was very regular 

 along its bottom, and just sufficiently deep for me 

 comfortably to crawl along it on hands and knees 

 without being seen. Having judged correctly the 

 distance to be travelled, I gently raised my head, my 

 cap being ornamented with a bunch of grass, when to 

 my delight I observed that the birds had not in any 

 way been alarmed, for some had already settled down 

 as if resolved to commence their siesta. 



I could make out no fewer than nine of these 

 noble birds within a space of fifty yards of each other, 

 yet the nearest to my place of ambush was too far 

 off for me to be certain of hitting it with my Express. 

 However, I exercised patience, and in this instance 

 the quality indeed proved a virtue, for, after a delay 

 of twenty minutes or so, first one and then a second 

 of those pauw that had been sitting down rose to their 

 feet, and all began to erect themselves to their greatest 

 height and look earnestly to windward. This was 

 an anxious moment, for my success or failure almost 



