a drive the only chance one got was to stalk them 

 in the early morning as they fed on the fringes of the 

 bush. I often wondered how the dogs would have 

 fared with those desperate fighters that have injured 

 and killed more dogs and more men than any other 

 buck, save perhaps the Sable. 



Once they caught an ant-bear in the open, and there 

 was a rough-and-tumble ; we had no weapons not 

 even sticks with us, and the dogs had it all to them- 

 selves. The clumsy creature could do nothing with 

 them ; his powerful digging claws looked dangerous, 

 but the dogs never gave him a chance ; he tried hard 

 to reach his hole, but they caught him as he somer- 

 saulted to dodge them, and, one in front and one 

 behind, worried the life out of him. 



Once they killed a tiger-cat. We heard the rush 

 and the row, and scrambled down through the tangled 

 woods as fast as we could, but they fought on, tumbling 

 and rolling downhill before us, and when we came up 

 to them it was all over and they were tugging and 

 tearing at the lifeless black and white body, Jess at 

 the throat and Jock at the stomach. The cat was as 

 big as either of them and armed with most formidable 

 claws, which it had used to some purpose, for both 

 dogs were torn and bleeding freely in several places. 

 Still they thoroughly enjoyed it and searched the 

 place afresh every time we passed it, as regularly as a 

 boy looks about where he once picked up a sixpence. 



Then the dainty little klipspringers led them many 

 a crazy dance along the crags and ledges of the 

 mountain face, jumping from rock to rock with 



245 



