of the Old World. 137 



tridgeswere calling loudly all around, and as I passed 

 the watercourse I saw a jackal skulking along its 

 bed. I stopped, shook my jingling affair, and 

 listened several times as I went along, but to no 

 purpose. 



Whilst ascending the opposite side of the ravine 

 I heard a slight noise like the crackling of a dry 

 leaf: I paused, and turning to the left fronted the 

 spot from whence I thought the noise proceeded. I 

 distinctly saw a movement or waving in the high 

 grass, as if something was making its way towards 

 me : then I heard a loud purring sound, and saw 

 something twitching backwards and forwards behind a 

 clump of low bush and long grass, about eight or ten 

 paces from me, and a little in the rear. It was a 

 ticklish moment, but I felt prepared. I stepped 

 back a couple of paces, in order to get a better view, 

 which action probably saved my life, for immediately 

 the brute sprang into the middle of the road, alighting 

 about six feet from the place where I was standing. 

 I fired a hurried shot ere he could gather himself 

 up for another spring, and when the smoke cleared 

 away I saw him rolling over and over in the dusty 

 road, writhing in his death agony, for my shot had 

 entered the neck and gone downwards into his chest. 

 I stepped on one side and gave him my second 

 barrel behind the ear, when dark blood rushed from 

 his nostrils, a slight tremor passed over all his limbs, 



