248 THE START. 



in some of the jackals' holes or game-pits, it will be hard 

 lines if this own brother to the baboons does not manage 

 to have a good ride that very night on the saddle that the 

 umlungo (white man) lately occupied. 



Now they are all ready for the start, great excitement 

 in the crowd. Jackals shuffle and shriek; even the 

 hyaena, that has hitherto appeared asleep, wakes up and 

 gives an hysterical laugh ; the vultures and eagles, from 

 the top of their grand stand high up in the clouds, have 

 a capital view, wheeling slowly round, in readiness either 

 to gorge the flesh of the buffalo or pollute that of the 

 white hunter. The hoofs of the horse striking on the 

 ground act the part of starting-bell; the hunter's ap- 

 proach is thus discovered ; the buffalo whirls his tail, and 

 the Umlungo bends in his saddle ; and " They're off \" 

 would be the remark were any there to make it. But 

 no, not a living soul is seen ; all is earth, sky, and wild 

 animals. One white man is the only thing bearing God's 

 image that is now within ten miles, and he is employed 

 in fulfilling the ordinance that " over every beast of the 

 field shalt thou have dominion." The Bushman, on the 

 distant rocky mountain, sees the race plainly without the 

 aid of a telescope, and watches intently what is so intel- 

 ligible to his experienced eyes, but what would be to some 

 of our highly scientific savans' visions like two indistinct 

 specks. The light weight takes the lead at a rattling pace, 

 and leaves the eleven stone far behind ; he trusts to his 

 speed, but still thinks it may be necessary to keep those 

 rocky mountains under his lee, in which to retreat, as a 

 sort of nest-egg. Away they go ; flowering geraniums and 



