SURROUNDED. 275 



one kerrie I upset my black attendant, and in his 

 fall the lantern was nearly extinguished ; but he 

 rapidly regained his legs, in no way disconcerted 

 at the catastrophe, or at the prospect of becoming 

 the target of one of these dangerous missiles. Quite 

 the reverse ; he appeared to enjoy the danger and 

 excitement of the mise-en-scene, if a conclusion might 

 be formed from the display he made of his pearly 

 white teeth, which apparently formed a connecting 

 link from the lobe of his right to that of his 

 left ear. 



A wise man would at this moment have lain 

 down, and I confess that for a moment I had my 

 doubts whether or not I should do so, but as 

 rapidly I dismissed the idea, from a knowledge that 

 it would place my prowess in a very doubtful 

 position in the eyes of the Bechuanas surrounding 

 me. The ring which had been formed around the 

 hares could now have scarcely exceeded twenty 

 yards in diameter, and about fifteen or twenty of 

 the game were in the enclosure, seeking an outlet ; 

 round and round, grouped together in a pack, they 

 coursed, every moment their numbers becoming 

 diminished. At length a resolution seemed to be 



T 2 



