352 LARGE GAME. CHAP. vn. 



amid icicles and stalactites are here reproduced. This 

 curious freak of nature is by no means peculiar to this 

 part of Africa, but is found everywhere where the country 

 presents the same features ; and I have always been sur- 

 prised that travellers have never thought it worthy of 

 mention among the numerous lesser details which are 

 generally to be found in their works. 



It was by taking advantage of the crossing-places in 

 these gullies that the natives proposed to enable me to 

 get within shot of the hartebeest. They said that some 

 of the herds when driven from a certain direction and 

 pressed invariably crossed at the same spots, and wished 

 me to conceal myself in them while they drove the game 

 to me. It was in the afternoon when they made this 

 proposal, and I asked if the hiding-place was far off; and 

 on receiving an answer in the negative, I went at once 

 with them to examine it. It turned out to be similar to 

 any one of the hundreds which I had before seen half a 

 dozen paths leading in and out, while the inequalities of 

 the centre were worn smooth by the continuous trampling 

 of many feet. But I found out all that I wanted to know, 

 namely, whether I could conceal my horse as well as my- 

 self, and finding that it would be perfectly easy to do so, 

 I told the men that I would be ready for them on the 

 morrow. 



By ten o'clock some ten men had come, who, on being 

 joined by all I could spare from the waggon, went off to 

 do their part of the work, taking all my dogs with them, 

 and I, mounting my horse, trotted down to my hiding- 

 place. I could see three or four herds feeding in different 

 parts of the plain, and as until they came near there was 



