TORTOISE FOR DIXNER. 



245 



leopard, for a protracted stnip^gle ensued before 

 silence proclaimed that death had taken place. The 

 scene of the tragedy was nearly two hundred yards 

 from the trail, so we could not render assistance until 

 it was too late. The Massara guide discovered spoor 

 that told truthfully the tale to what species was due 

 our deprivation. We had just passed three copjes — 

 very conspicuous landmarks — to the right or south 

 of our course, when William pointed me out an enor- 

 mous bush pauw. It was some distance from the 

 *' track," so \/hen we got abreast of the bird, I 

 dropped behind the waggons and secreted myself in 

 the bushes wh'ch] margined our trail. The game 

 seemed very interested in our long cavalcade, watch- 

 ing it with marked attention, so little surmising that 

 an enemy was left behind. Thus, without difficulty, I 

 gotwithin one hundred and twentyyards of myquarry, 

 when a convenient ant-hill presenting itself, over it I 

 got a good support for my rifle, and made a suc- 

 cessful shot. It was a splendid specimen, and worthy 

 of any trouble to preserve its plumage and skin, which 

 I did. I should imagine that it weighed over fifty 

 pounds. Larger specimens are to be obtained occa- 

 sionally, even reaching one-third more than my prize. 

 On the wing their flight looks very laboured, yet 

 it is swift. They are partially migratory, and at 

 one time were far from scarce in Griqua Land 

 West, the Orange Free State, and Transvaal. A 

 young one, when cooked slowly, and well basted, and, 

 when possible, stuffed as turkeys are usually treated, 

 makes an admirable dish, but an old one is apt to be 

 very strong and tough as india-rubber. When we 

 were within measurable distance of the river Lim- 

 popo and therefore of our outspati, the voorlooper (the 

 boy who leads the yoked cattle) caught a tortoise of 

 unusual size. The meat of this creature is possibly the 

 most deh'cate supplied by this region of country, so I 

 appropriated it. Its shell had at the sides been well 





