WILD DOGS A CUNNING BULL WILDEBEEST. 169 



that the human voice and a determined bearing might 

 overawe them, and accordingly, springing to my feet, 

 I stepped on to the little ledge surrounding the hole, 

 where, drawing myself up to my full height, I waved 

 my large blanket with both hands, at the same time 

 addressing ray savage assembly in a loud and solemn 

 manner. This had the desired effect : the wild dogs 

 removed to a more respectful distance, barking at me 

 something like collies. Upon this I snatched up my 

 rifle and commenced loading, and before this was ac- 

 complished the entire pack had passed away and did 

 not return. 



These had not been gone many minutes When twelve 

 or fifteen large hysenas were hard at work on the wilde- 

 beest. I fired two shots at them at different times 

 during the night, but none fell to my shots. Heedless 

 of me, they continued their banquet, and long before 

 morning nothing was left of the wildebeest save a few 

 of the larger bones. On the two following mornings I 

 was annoyed by a cunning old bull wildebeest, which, 

 having discovered my retreat, kept sentry over me, 

 and suoeessively drove away every troop of his fellows 

 that approached my vley to drink. He kept feeding 

 just out of rifle-range, and not only warned his com- 

 rades of their danger by fixing his eye on my place of 

 concealment and snorting loudly, but when this failed 

 he drove the other wildebeests firom me in the most de- 

 t^mined manner, like a collie dog driving sheep. Be^ 

 fore leaving my hole, however, on the second morning, 

 I had my revenge. A troop of cows, heedless of his 

 warnings, approached the vley. In his anxiety for their 

 safety he neglected his own ; and coming for the first 

 time within long rifle-range, I put up my after-sights 

 Und let drive at his ribs. The ball took effect, and, 



Vol. I.— H. 



