IO6 TALES OF A NOMAD. 



pigs and antelope which we did not want, and therefore 

 determined to give to the beaters. 



The pigs and buck were all gathered together into a 

 heap, and we summoned the beaters in order to make a 

 fair division. 



However, one of the Tongas thought he would have 

 his share in good time before the others, so stepping 

 forward he took a pig by the hind foot and began to 

 drag it away. In a moment a Natal Caffre hit him on 

 the head with a knobkerry and sent him head over heels. 

 Everybody made a rush forward in the hopes of getting 

 hold of a pig for his own side, and before you could say 

 Jack Robinson there was a transformation scene in which 

 the hunting party resolved itself into a war party. 



It would require the pen of a Homer to describe what 

 occurred. The siege of Troy and the battle of Chevy 

 Chase weren't in it with the battle of the swine. Fiercely 

 raged the tide of war over the corpses of the defunct 

 porkers. Sticks rattled upon thick skulls, and blood and 

 wool flew about freely, until the Amatongas were defeated 

 and the Natal Caffres appropriated the spolia opima. 



The CafTre is a good fellow, but like the Irishman he 

 thoroughly enjoys an occasional riot. 



What struck me most in this incident was that though 

 the natives were all armed with assegais, not a man 

 resorted to the use of any weapon but a stick ; and ten 

 minutes after the row was over all animosity was for- 

 gotten, for Tongas and Natal Caffres stood peaceably 

 side by side while one of our party acted as an assessor 

 in division of the spoils. 



Before concluding this narration of small game shoot- 

 ing, I must give an account of a porcupine hunt in which 

 I took part. 



