286 A Breath from the Veldt 



he and Teenie tried every means to alleviate the sufferings of the poor creatures, 

 but to no purpose : before midnight they both lay dead. I say nothing of my 

 own loss, for though Jimmy was a most admirable little mount in the bush, 

 following the game, as many of these South African horses will, by sight alone 

 on the smallest pressure of the rider's knees, I still had my two Basuto ponies, 

 which were now becoming useful. But to Piet the loss of Lively meant a very 

 great deal ; he was the only horse he possessed, a fine animal too, and being 

 thoroughly " salted " and well trained, was worth a good round sum. On the 



THE RECORD KOODOO HORNS 

 Span, 49^ in. ; length on curve, 63 ; length, straight line, 48J. Shot by Sydney Osborn. 



death of the two horses Teenie dragged them under the trees about loo yards 

 from the camp, where the lions visited them nightly, till there was nothing 

 left but the bones. In the camp they heard distinctly the growling and 

 snarling of the marauders ; and yet Tace, who liked to parade himself as an old 

 Veldtsman, never dreamt of making a " still," much less of watching for the 

 lions, with intent to kill, from a tree above the carcases. He was, in fact, but 

 a poor-spirited creature, with no more " go " in him than a wood-louse, and 

 according to all accounts, he had spent most of his time during our absence in 

 grumbling and quarrelling with the others. It was very mean of his father. 



