BUCK-HUNTING INCIDENT. 



73 



ahead and keep on the qui vive for any bucks that broke cover. 

 At such hunts, Pj'thons are frequently killed. The dogs locate 

 them in the bush, and bring them to bay. At one of these hunts 

 a big torpid-looking fellow broke away and came crawling 

 sluggishly over the rocks. We killed him, whereupon two or 

 three of the natives became very officious in volunteering their 



Fig. 34. — An African Python swallowing a bird. (From Warnc's Royal Xalural Hnlory.) 



services in skinning him for me without the usual fee, so I willingly 

 agreed. When they were taking the skin off, one of them pulled 

 the remains of a Duiker Buck from the snake's interior. It was 

 a pulpy shapeless mass, covered all over with slime. The Kafir 

 laid it carefully aside. I inquired : " What are you going to do 

 with that ? " " Eat it, boss." " What ! eat that shmy thing 

 —ugh ! " " Yes, boss, why not ? It's good meat. We will 

 wash it in the stream and skin it, and have a feast to-night." 



