All alone on the Veldt. 251 



pilots without effect. I continued to chase the 

 l)uck, who did not seem to be able to get very far 

 away from me. He held c^n, howeyer, for a long 

 distance, sometimes being as iar away as fiye or 

 six liunchTd yards, sometimes allowing me to come 

 much closer, when I dismounted and fired. With 

 my sixth shot I hit him in the haunch, and re- 

 mounting soon had the pleasure of seeing his pace 

 get slo^ver and slower from a canter into a. trot, 

 from a trot into a walk, finall}" sinking on to the 

 ground. I rode up to him and otf-saddlcd my 

 panting and dripping horse, now completely blo^Ti 

 by a gallop of upwards of three miles oyer the most 

 varied country, through swamp^^ ground, groves of 

 trees and bush, and o^'er rocky koj^jes. This was 

 the first hartebeest I had managed to ride dovra 

 and shoot by myself, and I was proportionately 

 delighted. I found myself all alone on the veldt, 

 I^ec having for some reason or other discontinued 

 the chase. While I was engaged in opening the 

 buck I was startled by a voice behind me. Look- 

 ing round, I perceived three natives with the usual 

 amount of clothing and assegai. Xot knowing 

 quite what the intentions of these barbarians might 

 be, I immediately, with very dignified and lofty 

 signs, ordered them to complete'the disembowelling 

 of the buck, and to cut l)ranches and grass with 

 which to cover it up. This they most meekly did, 

 upon which I graciously permitted them to carry 

 away the entrails. I ^vas now somewhat in a 

 quandary, not knowing where I was, being totally 

 unable to discover the way I had come, and Lee 



