CHAPTER IV. 

 VARIOUS. 



ON the ensuing morning I started on the return journey 

 to Gumban. 



If ever one happens to be especially in need of meat 

 the game seems to avoid one. I relied upon shooting 

 enough for our consumption en route, but found that the 

 natives had been burning the grass all over the country 

 through which we had to pass, and in consequence that 

 the game had been entirely driven away. 



We went for two days without anything to eat. On 

 the evening of the second day, I devoured a whole pot 

 of jam which our factotum had thoughtfully inserted 

 amongst the stores when I left Gumban. I remember it 

 was black currant, a jam which I detest, for when I was a 

 boy it was cunningly used as a vehicle for the conceal- 

 ment of nauseous medicines periodically administered to 

 me. On the morning of the third day I shot a blue wilde- 

 beeste. It was a great fluke. He was standing broad- 

 side on at what I estimated to be a range of 450 yards. 

 He had already seen us, so that to stalk him was 

 impracticable. I aimed for his shoulder, but struck him 

 on the root of the neck, breaking the spine and killing 

 him on the spot. 



The blue wildebeeste are very wary, and the Cafifres 

 have a saying that every wildebeeste has a maggot in 

 his brain, which warns him of the approach of danger. 



(65) 5 ^ 



