366 TRAVELS IN 
it fo near ; for I knew no obftacle that could 
be more fatal to my defigns than imaginary 
terrors. 
The day following we departed, and while 
•we were marching along I amufed myfelf with 
(hooting, either on one fide or the other, 
as the weather was remarkably favourable. 
Having ftarted a female oftrich, when I 
went up to the neft, the largeft I had ever 
feen, I found in it thirty-eight eggs in a heap, 
and thirteen more diftributed at fome diftance, 
each in a fmall cavity. They appeared to be 
all unequal in fize ; and, when I examined 
them more clofely, I perceived nine much 
fmaller than the reft : on this difcovery I or- 
dered my people to halt, and to unyoke the 
oxen at the diftance of a quarter of a league 
from the reft, whilft I went to conceal myfelf 
in a thicket, which was within a gun-fhot of 
the fpot, and from which I could have a full 
view of the animal if it returned. After a 
ftiort interval, the female arrived and fquatted 
down upon the eggs, and, during the reft of 
the time that I continued in the bufh, three 
more joined her. They relieved each other 
by turns, one only remaining a quarter of an 
hour on the neft, while one of the new comers 
6 fat 
