GOAT KILLED B Y CHEE TAHS. 2 4 9 



the live goat, an animal I thought was a dog. They 

 told me it was the leopard, but I would not fire, still 

 thinking it a dog. At last, however, I saw what it 

 was and we shot it. Two others ran away, and my 

 dogs killed both of them gallantly, and in next to no 

 time. They were cheetahs, a sort of leopard, very 

 lanky and a good deal like greyhounds in appear- 

 ance. They were very thin, and probably very 

 hungry when they killed the goat ; but the other 

 goat must have kept them from eating it, as it had 

 been killed a considerable time when we got to it. 



" I must now get up and make ready to start. I 

 am writing in the tent, having had a cup of coffee 

 as usual, but not got up yet. I intended to have 

 written this letter last night, and, having failed to 

 do so, thought it best to make sure of its being 

 written before I began anything else. I hope you 

 are all spending a pleasant Christmas and New 

 Year's time at home, or wherever you are ; and wish 

 every one a very happy New Year." 



A start was made late that evening, and the 

 Journal resumes the narrative : — 



"December 2jtk. — Fine hot day, with a north- 

 easterly breeze. Wrote letter home early, and made 

 final preparations for the walk. As my own boys 

 had all requested to accompany me, wishing to see 

 ' Metsi-a-tunya,' I took all (eight in number) except 

 the Bushman, whom, with two Makalakas engaged 

 for me at Pandamatenga by the doctor, I left with 

 Klaas. The doctor had also got me another Maka- 

 laka, whom he handed over to me, as well as allow- 



