CHAPTER III. 



UNCERTAIN SHOOTING AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE. 



POOR pussy, he had not much chance for his life 

 with such a clamorous pack around him, assisted by 

 several natives armed with knobkerries ; however, 

 he effected a resolute resistance for a few minutes, 

 and in that short time made several of the curs sing 

 out "blue murder!" But a pawky bushman stole 

 upon the persecuted cat, and in an unguarded 

 moment laid him low with a crack upon the head. 

 That night I was restless and indisposed to sleep, 

 so I set a couple of my people to take the hide off 

 the carcass, while I blocked out some yoke-keys. 

 It was truly marvellous how rapidly the darkies did 

 their skinning, and how perfectly they performed 

 the operation, with no other implement than the 

 blade of an assegai. The pelt was a splendid one, 

 of deepest rufous colour along the back, gradually 

 changing to a reddish grey as the lower parts of the 

 flanks were approached, while the head had that 

 distinctive lyre-shaped marking above and between 

 the eyes, characteristic of this species, most beauti- 



