250 THE TEKKIBLE. 



seeing a tree close at hand, I made a desperate leap to 

 procure its shelter and protection. I reached, and clung 

 to it for support ; when the sharp report of a rifle was 

 heard in my ear, and the bark, about three inches above 

 my head, was penetrated by the ball. Another shot 

 followed, with a more sure aim, and the exasperated 

 animal (now once more within reach of me) rolled heavily 

 over on its side. On the parties nearing, I found them to 

 be my brother and a friend, who had at first mistaken 

 me for the kangaroo, and had very nearly consummated 

 what had been so strangely begun. However, a miss is 

 always as good as a mile ; and having recruited my spirits 

 and strength with a draught from the never-failing 

 brandy-flask, and sung a requiem over poor old Trip, my 

 companions shouldered the fallen foe, by means of a large 

 stake, one carrying each end, while I followed with weak 

 and tottering steps. You may imagine that the little 

 beauty I ever had is not much improved by the wound on 

 my face, which still remains, and ever will. I am now an 

 older hand at kangaroo-hunting, and never venture to 

 attack so formidable an antagonist with an ant-eaten 

 club ; my dogs, also, have grown too wary to rush heed- 

 lessly within reach of his deadly rips. We have killed 

 many since, but rarely so fine a one as that which first 

 tried our mettle on the plains of New Holland/' * 



The equatorial coast of Africa has recently yielded to 

 European science a gigantic kind of man-like ape, which 

 affords a curious confirmation of an old classic story. 

 Somewhere about the sixth century before the Christian 



* Sporting Review, ii., p 343. 



