

LUCK AGAINST US. 175 



spects very equine, and assuredly, of a truth, I 

 would any day sooner gaze at it and enjoy the 

 admiration it is sure to invite, than align my rifle- 

 sight upon its comely flanks. 



At sundown I got home ; but Chummy did not 

 return for an hour later. He had killed a barren 

 cow hartebeest, which had given him no end of 

 trouble before he secured it, although afterwards 

 it was discovered to have been, at the first fire, 

 hit through the heart. It is perfectly surprising, 

 almost incredible, what wounds these grass-feeding 

 animals may receive before they are brought to bag. 

 It is also the same with elephants and buffaloes- 

 more especially the former ; for I have known them 

 left for dead at night, and nowhere to be found 

 when the sun rose. On the other hand, the car- 

 nivora, if seriously wounded, never recover. The 

 difference of diet in this climate is no doubt the 

 cause. 



As our camp was well sheltered, very pretty, 

 abundantly supplied with water, and we had plenty 

 of meat, we resolved to remain here for a day or 

 two with the intention of having a general clean up 

 as well as with the hope that our nocturnal visitor, 

 that we had so hopelessly sought, would again put 

 in an appearance. My friend was particularly 

 anxious to kill a lion. So was I ; but luck did not 

 seem to be disposed to favour us, so we were dis- . 

 cussing the propriety of making a movement further 



