1812. 
AN OSTRICH SHOT. 
351 
her wants, and of the object of her visit. I ordered the men to supply 
her with meat, although we had little to spare ; and it was not long 
before her pot was on the fire, doing its duty. The children were 
lively and in good spirits ; and it was most probably to the sight of 
this, that the talkativeness of the girl and her mother, was to be 
attributed. 
12th. This morning an ostrich having been observed feeding 
among the trees, one of the Hottentots crept under the bushes un- 
perceived towards it, sufficiently near to shoot it. My men now 
obtained a supply of their favorite ornament, and each one decked 
himself with a white plume in his hat. 
These birds are in general found to be more difficult of ap- 
proach than the antelopes ; which may be occasioned by the greater 
height of their eye above the ground, enabling them to see over all 
the shrubs of the plain. This was an old male, and, on account of 
its feathers being dirty and much damaged, was said to be a ' nest- 
bird' or one which had been sitting on the eggs. The small feathers 
which cover the wings were undamaged and of a fine black ; but 
these were not prized by the Hottentots. 
In weight and size, the leg of this ostrich, including the flesh of 
the thigh, was really surprising when viewed as the leg of a bird : it 
was as much as one man could carry. The flesh was dark-colored, 
and resembled beef; and was exceedingly coarse and tough, though 
tolerably well-tasted. It is sometimes, as the Hottentots affirm, of 
a disagreeable oily flavor ; but I could not here distinguish any taste 
of that nature. The stomach is considered to be the best part of the 
whole bird, being both tender and delicate ; but my men, who were 
acquainted with this circumstance, took care to eat up the whole of 
it before they gave me this piece of information. 
Our provisions being nearly consumed, this bird came very 
opportunely in our way, and besides, enabled me, by giving the poor 
Bachapin woman one of the legs, to keep her pot employed for 
several days after our departure. 
We were now within a very moderate day's-journey of Litakun ; 
