254 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa 



with ;i four miles' trek to a Kaffir kraal of some 

 size, picturesquely perched on the peaks of a rocky 

 kopje, similar to the one near Fort Salisl3ury, 

 which I described in a former chapter. Here, under 

 the ample shade of a laro-e " makoona " tree, I 

 made a comfortable camp. We AYere soon sur- 

 rounded by a score of natives, old and young, male 

 and female, who, in exchange for the fresh meat 

 -svith which we were provided, gave us large sup- 

 plies of mealies and of Kaffir corn. I tried in vain 

 to purchase a goat, as also milk and eggs, but none 

 of these commodities would they produce. About 

 noon, the sun Ijeing very hot, Lee and I rode out 

 on our daily hunt. Soon ^ve saw a solitary harte- 

 beest standing under a tree looking at us, at Avhich 

 I fired at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards. 

 After the shot he moved a lew paces to the right, 

 and still remained gazing at us intently. Seeing 

 that he was not disposed to make off, and thinking 

 I had missed him, I sat down on the ground, and, 

 resting my ritle on my knees, took steady aim. 

 This bullet hit him in the chest, and he staggered 

 away a few yards and fell. On going up to him I 

 found that my first ballet had broken the lower 

 jaw. This wound must have stupefied him, and 

 probal)ly accounted for his immobility after my 

 first shot. Groing on, we again ascend a kopje to 

 spy the plain. As usual, we j^ei'ceive liartebeest 

 and roan antelope in difierent directions, and, as 

 usual, prefer to pursue the latter. These were 

 two cows, which, on being chased for a short way, 

 led us on to a herd of seven other roan antelope. 



