AN INSUBORDINATE POINTER. 223 



a couple of aged warriors, who were doubtlessly left 

 to act as spies upon our actions. 



One of these men was far from a bad fellow in 

 his way, was quite communicative, and had evidently 

 been a great Nimrod in his time. From him I 

 learned that a family of lions had taken up their re- 

 sidence in a kloof not over a couple of miles distant, 

 and that one of this interesting 1 coterie had had the 

 presumption to carry off a kid a few days back, about 

 milking time (sunset), from almost the very spot on 

 which we were now outspanned. We mutually 

 agreed to defer our search for their tawny majesties 

 till the morrow. 



After tiffin or breakfast, whichever you like to 

 call it, for both meals were combined in one I took 

 a stroll over the adjoining grass lands, and so great 

 were the numbers of quails I flushed, that I resolved 

 to tie up all the dogs, except the pointer, procure my 

 shot gun, and go in for a regular afternoon's enjoy- 

 ment. No sooner had I come to this decision than 

 I acted upon it. However, I was a little delayed 

 by the insubordination of Donna, the pointer, whom 

 want of work had made quite regardless of conse- 

 quences as well as defiant of all orders. After 

 several fruitless efforts, I ultimately succeeded in 

 catching her and making her acquainted with the 

 virtues of a piece of green rheim. It is astonishing 

 what a wholesome effect this treatment had ; morally 

 and physically she became at once an altered being, 



