268 GIRAFFE HUNTING. 



weapons of a very large bore. At the best this 

 idea can only be surmise, for since the opening of 

 the Diamond fields, guns of all calibre have been 

 taken into the interior. 



One thing, however, I can be certain of; the 

 carcass stunk so that it was impossible to remain to 

 leeward of it any length of time without feeling those 

 qualms that surely denote an inclination to be sick. 

 This stench, for by no less powerful word could I 

 call it, was, at the first inhalation of it, not unlike 

 very powerful musk, afterwards it defied description. 

 Yet the natives seemed to enjoy this foul odour as 

 much as we would fragrant lavender water or " jockey 

 club." My success had supplied my camp with a 

 sufficiency of fresh meat for temporary wants, and I 

 also hoped with beltong (sun-dried meat) as a pro- 

 vision against want, if game ran short, so I forbade a 

 particle of the veteran's carcass being removed in the 

 direction of our outspan. When this verdict was 

 made known, the Macalacas appeared suddenly 

 attacked with a frenzy, every revolting passion pos- 

 sessed by them, in a moment was exhibited, and 

 quicker than could be imagined a tolerably orderly 

 crowd was transferred into a lot of demons, ready to 

 fight to the death with their nearest and dearest 

 friends for a share of the repulsive carcass that was 

 before them. 



I did not wait to see the onslaught, but as I rode 

 away I could not help regretting that these brutes in 

 human form should belong to the same race as myself. 

 I wonder if our forefathers, at any period, were ever 

 such devils as these Macalacas are ; if so, the less 

 said about ancient lineage and ancestors coeval with 

 the flood, the better. 



After I had ridden a good half-mile I could still 

 hear yelling and shouting, with an occasional fierce 

 interjection, that plainly told that the strife was still 

 being continued with unabating vigour. Others 



