NiGnT-snooTixG. 347 



epochs of ray life, for in the course of it I was three 

 several times in the very jaws of death, and only 

 escaped destruction as by a miracle. 



For a short time previous 1 had been encamped 

 at Kobis, a watering-station only a few days journey 

 from Lake Ngami, where I had been very successful 

 with the larger animals, especially rhinoceroses, of 

 which one night, I, in the course of five hours, shot 

 no fewer than eight,* of three different species, and, 

 had I persevered, I might have doubled the number; 

 but game, owing to the persecution to which it was 

 subjected, having at length become scarce and wary, 

 and elephants having, as I had heard, resorted to 

 Abeghan, a station still nearer the lake just named, 

 I proceeded to that place. 



Somewhat incautiously I, on the night in ques- 

 tion, took up my position, quite alone as usual, 

 on a narrow neck of land dividing two small pools, 

 the space on either side of my " screen" (which, as 

 elsewhere said, was a small circular enclosure, six to 

 eight feet in diameter, and the walls of it usually 

 consisting of loose stones some two feet in height) 

 being only sufficient for a large animal to stand on 

 between myself and the water. I was provided 

 with a blanket, and two or three spare iruns. 



it was one of those magnificent tropical moon- 



* To the reader, the great "hag" made l>y me on this occasion 

 may appear to have been useless slaughter, but I can assure him 

 that neither on this, nor on any other occasion, when I have killrd u 

 number of wild animals, has a single pound of flesh been wasted, 

 for what was not consumed by mysc:f and people, was gn rdily 

 devoured by the natives, who usually followed on my track in 

 crowds. 



