228 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



hole my man was standing in front of; in a moment 

 the animal went between his legs, tossed him several 

 feet into the air, and he landed on his back, having 

 completed a somersault. The foremost pig disappeared 

 into the bowels of the earth, but the other, doubtlessly 

 scared by my attendant falling right before him, made a 

 detour, and again scampered off over the velt. 



I could not overlook the insult my gillie had received, 

 so did my utmost to make my horse overtake the com- 

 panion of the perpetrator of the outrage. The pursued 

 and pursuer were both getting tired, though, if anything, 

 I had the best of it ; but the brute kept doubling so, 

 backward and forward, that it was as often on my left 

 flank as on my right. Again and again I tried to bring 

 my weapon into play, but was baulked. At length a 

 chance arrived a slight inequality of the ground gave 

 me the advantage, and I delivered a severe jobbing 

 thrust ; but no sooner had the creature felt the steel,, 

 than, out of sheer perverseness I am certain for no 

 other reason it turned sharp to the left, knocked my 

 horse's fore-legs from under him, and gave me as clean 

 a coup as ever man got, or wishes to receive. When I 

 got up I had stars in my eyes ; I was dumbfounded, 

 and utterly incapable of further equestrian exploits ; 

 so I looked after the game still in flight, and heaped 

 blessings on its head. 



When my disaster occurred, the quarry was heading 

 for the sanctuary its friend was now snugly ensconced 

 in, and into it it would also go if my attendant did not 

 bar its way. But, after the rough treatment he had 

 received lately, I did not expect much of him. But 

 when little is expected much sometimes is obtained. 



The hog approached the hole ; the Macalaca fled so 



