1812. 
TASTE OF QUAKKA-MEAT. 
83 
althoLisrh he had ridden into the midst of the herd and turned their 
course, he had killed nothing ; for it had happened that several times, 
on attempting to shoot, his gun unluckily missed fire ; which was 
occasioned by the lock having been accidentally put out of order 
during the chase. 
In the early part of the night, the jackals at a little distance 
were yelping around us ; and, although they might not have filled 
the office of ' lion's provider,' vulgarly assigned to them, yet I had 
no doubt of their having attentively performed the duties of clearing 
their royal master's table. To prevent him making his supper-room 
in the midst of our oxen, we kept several fires burning all night. 
Wth. In the morning we were visited by four Bushmen; to 
whom, according to my custom, I made a present of some tobacco. 
In their way to us, they happened to pass by the spot where a lion 
had last night been preying upon a quakka : they found every part 
of the carcase devoured, excepting the feet, which they brought away 
with them ; these being all that the jackals had left. 
Although not absolutely in want of food, yet as the number of 
my sheep was already much lessened, I resolved on giving up a day 
for hunting. The men had not been out long before Philip shot a 
quakka. When this was brought home, it was so warmly praised by 
my Hottentots, as being excellent meat, that I ordered a steak to 
be broiled for my dinner. The novelty, and my own curiosity, must 
have had some influence on this occasion, since I was induced to 
consider it good and palatable. It was tender, and possessed a taste 
which seemed to be between that of beef and mutton. I made 
from it several meals : but this was the only time when I ate of 
quakkas or zebras from pure choice ; for, I confess, I could not, with 
respect to these animals, resist altogether the misleading influence of 
- prejudice and habit ; and allowed myself, merely because I viewed 
this meat as horseflesh, to reject food which was really good and 
wholesome. In this respect, the Hottentots are much wiser than 
the Boors, who reject it for the same reason with myself, but who, 
nevertheless hunt these animals for the use of their Hottentots and 
slaves. On all subsequent occasions, when necessity compelled me 
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