216 A B A T T U E. 



given by a beater, which was responded to by a grand 

 flourish of assagies from the ring of men without. A 

 couple of the wild bush-pigs broke out of the cover, and had 

 scarcely shown themselves for a second when an avalanche 

 of spears and sticks came down upon them. The swine 

 immediately presented the appearance of ruffled porcu- 

 pines, as the assagies were sticking in numbers into their 

 hides, and pointing in all directions. Still they made a 

 bold rush for their lives : it was of no use, however ; for 

 twenty stabbing- spears were driven deep into them, and 

 piggy was soon made pork. The savages seemed to 

 take great delight in the single act of drawing blood, 

 several spears being thrust into the pigs long after they 

 had ceased to move. I thought it a piece of wonderful 

 forbearance when I found that four men received directions 

 to take the pork home. I fully expected to see the pigs 

 eaten then and there ; delays in these things the Kaffirs 

 seem to consider as dangerous; and having an appetite 

 always in readiness, they find but little difficulty in 

 accommodating themselves to time and place. 



Our next find was a couple of black bush-buck, male 

 and female. They broke out of the cover gallantly, and 

 the ram, lowering his horns, charged straight at the line of 

 Kaffirs. A shower of missiles which were hurled at him 

 failed in checking his career, and he dashed forward, leaving 

 his partner on the ground. The Kaffirs quickly cleared the 

 road, and allowed him to rush through, giving a grand 

 volley of assagies as he passed ; half a dozen remained in 

 him, and his fate was then decided. He stopped once or 

 twice, and tried with his mouth to pull out an assagy that 



