CRUELTY OF HUNTERS. 179 



salts are there still ; and the only remedy is to get away as quick- 

 ly as possible to the north. 



We dug out several wells ; and as we had on each occasion to 

 wait till the water flowed in again, and then allow our cattle to 

 feed a day or two and slake their thirst thoroughly, as far as 

 that could be done, before starting, our progress was but slow. 

 At Koobe there was such a mass of mud in the pond, worked up 

 by the wallowing rhinoceros to the consistency of mortar, that 

 only by great labor could we get a space cleared at one side 

 for the water to ooze through and collect in for the oxen. Should 

 the rhinoceros come back, a single roll in the great mass we had 

 thrown on one side would have rendered all our labor vain. It 

 was therefore necessary for us to guard the spot at night. On 

 these great flats all around we saw in the white sultry glare 

 herds of zebras, gnus, and occasionally buffaloes, standing for 

 days, looking wistfully toward the wells for a share of the nasty 

 water. It is mere wanton cruelty to take advantage of the ne- 

 cessities of these poor animals, and shoot them down one after 

 another, without intending to make the smallest use of either the 

 flesh, skins, or horns. In shooting by night, animals are more 

 frequently wounded than killed ; the flowing life-stream increases 

 the thirst, so that in desperation they come slowly up to drink 

 in spite of the danger, " I must drink, though I die." The ostrich, 

 even when not wounded, can not, with all his wariness, resist the 

 excessive desire to slake his burning thirst. It is Bushman-like 

 practice to take advantage of its piteous necessities, for most of 

 the feathers they obtain are procured in this way ; but they eat 

 the flesh, and are so far justifiable. 



I could not order my men to do what I would not do myself; 

 but, though I tried to justify myself on the plea of necessity, 

 I could not adopt this mode of hunting. If your object is to 

 secure the best specimens for a museum, it may be allowable, and 

 even deserving of commendation, as evincing a desire to kill only 

 those really wanted ; but if, as has been practiced by some 

 Griquas and others who came into the country after Mr. Cum- 

 ming, and fired away indiscriminately, great numbers of animals 

 are wounded and allowed to perish miserably, or are killed on 

 the spot and left to be preyed on by vultures and hyenas, and 

 all for the sole purpose of making a " bag," then I take it to be 



