Chap. X. ANNOYED WITH TSETSE. 211 



habitations, and where no firearms have been introduced, 

 we may mention what at times has actually been seen 

 by us. On the morning of July 3rd a herd of elephants 

 passed within fifty yards of our sleeping-place, going down 

 to the river along the dry bed of a rivulet. Starting 

 a few minutes before the main body, we come upon large 

 flocks of guinea-fowl, shoot what may be wanted for dinner, 

 or next morning's breakfast, and leave them in the path 

 to be picked up by the cook and his mates behind. As 

 we proceed, francolins of three varieties run across the path, 

 and hundreds of turtle-doves rise, with great blatter of wing, 

 and fly off to the trees. Guinea-fowls, francolins, turtle- 

 doves, ducks, and geese are the game birds of this region. 

 At sunrise a herd of pallahs, standing like a flock of sheep, 

 allow the first man of our long Indian file to approach within 

 about fifty yards ; but having meat, we let them trot off 

 leisurely and unmolested. Soon afterwards we come upon a 

 herd of waterbucks, which here are very much darker in 

 colour, and drier in flesh, than the same species near the sea. 

 They look at us and we at them ; and we pass on to see a 

 herd of doe koodoos, with a magnificently horned buck or two, 

 hurrying off to the dry hill-sides. We have ceased shooting- 

 antelopes, as our men have been so often gorged, with meat 

 that they have become fat and dainty. They say that they 

 do not want more venison, it is so dry and tasteless, and 

 ask why we do not give them shot to shoot the more savoury 

 guinea-fowl. 



About eight o'clock the tsetse commence to buzz about 

 us, and bite our hands and necks sharply. Just as we 

 are thinking of breakfast, we meet some buffaloes grazing 

 by the path ; but they make off in a heavy gallop at the 

 sight of man. We fire, and the foremost, badly wounded. 



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