Shooting the Game. 77 



"pans" of water, siirroimded by reeds and rushes, 

 ^vhere wild-fowl may often be seen in considerable 

 numbers, but generally difficult to approacli ; 

 ^\'liile along the " spruits " and in swampy places, 

 sni23e of more than one variety at certain times of the 

 year abound. In the neighbourhood of cultivated 

 grounds, of homesteads, and of gardens coveys of 

 red partridges are frequently met with ; and in 

 certain sj)ots quails may be said to swarm at the 

 proper period of the year. The sportsman, how- 

 ever, will have to work very hard and shoot very 

 straight to make up what to an Englishman would 

 appear a respectable bag. My friend and I, shoot- 

 ing for two days in the neighbourhood of the silver 

 mines, obtained the following singularly varied 

 but somewhat scanty bag, nor do I think that the 

 scantiness could be fairly attributed to any exces- 

 sively unskilful shooting: three snipe, ten quail, 

 six duck, one wild goose, seven i^artridges, five 

 koran, three plover, four pigeons, one eagle, and 

 five bitterns. 



At this time I was enabled by the kindness of 

 Messrs. Marks to make a shooting expedition to 

 the estate before alluded to, which is carefully pre- 

 served, and where shooting is seldom allowed. 

 Our party consisted of four guns, and we remained 

 on the estate for four days. The weather was 

 perfect ; cool, and even frosty nights, bright and 

 warm days with refreshing breezes. We camped 

 out on the veldt, sleeping in a bell tent. The 

 method of living, though rough and ready, was 

 rendered enjoyable by the presence of a French 

 cook, who skilfully treated us in the evening with 



