192 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



shot, but for a long time these strange animals resem- 

 bling more a cross between the horse and the buffalo 

 than anything else refused to gratify me. At length 

 I spied a bull not far from some bushes. Without 

 attracting attention I gained the friendly shelter and 

 carefully passed through it. The moment I came 

 in sight of the quarry away it bounded, kicking 

 and prancing like a colt just turned loose, while 

 every few steps it turned its head to the right or 

 left to observe whether I was in pursuit. I brought 

 my rifle to my shoulder and watched for what appeared 

 a shadow caused by this evolution ; in a moment it 

 showed itself, and at the same instant I pressed the 

 trigger, when the poor beast turned over as complete 

 a somersault as ever did rabbit or hare. The Martini- 

 Henry is certainly a wonderful killer if held straight. 



Like the vulture that sees the carrion afar, so I 

 believe the Kaffirs do ; before the game was blooded 

 and paunched I had at least a dozen volunteers to trans- 

 port it to the wagon. Of course for such service each 

 expects to be permitted to assist at the feast. 



The ant-hills, I notice, are commencing to change 

 their character ; in the Free State they were little larger 

 than exaggerated mole-hills, now they are quite a struc- 

 ture of eight or nine feet high, frequently with a con- 

 siderable-sized tree growing out of them. How long 

 and how many of these minute insects it takes to make 

 so large a hillock would be an interesting calculation. 



Goran have been very abundant all the afternoon, and 

 so tame that Jacob nearly knocked one over with his whip. 



About an hour before outspanning I almost came to 

 grief, and after a manner that would be of all others the 

 most distasteful. It was in this way. 



