364 THE GEEAT THIRST LAND. 



About nine o'clock, with three Massara bushmen, I 

 started to hunt for meat. My encampment had become 

 quite a place of rendezvous for all the people in the 

 district, each of whom expected food, and such quantities 

 of it, that they would have consumed an ox a day. To 

 give an idea of how much they can eat, I will mention 

 what has come under my observation, not once, but 

 many times. After eating incessantly an hour or two 

 in which space of time they would have put out of 

 sight six or seven pounds of flesh they would leave 

 the fire and go into the bush to become sick. That 

 performance over, they would return and gorge as if 

 nothing had happened. A zebra as big as a Galloway 

 fourteen hands high would not last them over a day. 

 So, with a crowd of this kind about me, I could not be 

 expected to spare the game. 



The early part of the day was unsuccessful. Euby, 

 who was very fresh, I had to take down a peg or two, 

 an opportunity soon presenting itself. A brace of 

 striped hysenas jumped up in front, so I gave the larger 

 a burst, and in a mile finished him with my revolver. 

 About an hour afterwards, a splendid koodoo (todo 9 

 Kaffir name) rushed past, at a distance of fifty or sixty 

 yards. In a moment I was off the mare, took sight, 

 and fired; but the bullet fell short, and the game 

 entering some dense underbrush immediately afterwards, 

 I did not get time to put in the second barrel. 



This antelope is truly a splendid specimen of the 

 family to which he belongs, is exceedingly graceful and 

 active, frequently reaching the weight of five hundred 

 pounds. Bocky, irregular ground and the sides of 

 coppies are its favourite haunts, although it may occa- 

 sionally be seen in localities of quite a different nature. 



