GUINEA-FOWL. 183 



After Himyah had been duly congratulated and 

 praised on all sides, I began to examine a severe 

 wound on his face, which had been cut by the butt 

 end of his matchlock in the recoil ; and it was well 

 that the cheek-bone, was in his case unusually high 

 and prominent, or he would certainly have seriously 

 damaged his eye, or perhaps knocked it out 

 altogether. A piece of my frock, which I tore off 

 for the occasion, and a little shaking of my powder- 

 flask over the wound, set all to rights again, and 

 having presented him with nearly twelve charges of 

 powder, as a reward for his dexterity, I made him 

 both comfortable and happy, under the circum- 

 stances, and we proceeded afresh in search of game. 



We descended into the bed of the stream which 

 we kept along but a very short time before we came 

 upon a numerous covey of fine guinea-fowl, walking 

 before us at a rapid rate. I should suppose there 

 were nearly fifty or sixty of them, and whether it 

 was that numbers gave confidence, or that they 

 were unsuspicious, from never having been molested 

 before, after having got out of our direct course, 

 they seemed to think, that was quite as much as w T as 

 expected or wanted, and began pecking away on 

 the banks on either side again, with as much care- 

 less ease, as if they had been so many barn-door 

 fowls. I soon drew the charge of one of my 

 barrels, and substituted some shot for the bullet 

 with which it was loaded ; for having anticipated 

 meeting with only large animals, I had prepared 



