AFRICA. 233- 
and afUvity ; and, during more than three 
quarters of an hour that the fport lafted, they 
difplayed before me all the feints, evolutions, 
and ftratagems, of their art of wan 
This exercife did not end with the diftri? 
,bution of the four prizes. Thofe who were 
unfuccefsful Hill continued to flioot ; and I 
could not obferve without laughing, that fe- 
veral of them, after having hit the circle, were 
in a paflion with themfelves for having aimed 
fo ill when there was fomething to be gained^ 
and fo well when it w^as to no purpofe. 
In my turn, to fhow them what I could do, 
I placed myfelf at the trench with my large 
carbine, and fired feveral balls, each of which 
hit the mark. 
Not contented with fhowing them my own 
fuperiority, I was defirous of convincing them 
of that of my arms. For this purpofe, 1 took 
aim at a rock four hundred paces diftant. At 
every fhct I ftruck off from it a fplinter, and 
at every fhot I obferved the afioniflied favages 
feeking to divine from my countenance by 
what inconceivable magic I produced fuch an 
f ffed, fo fpeedily and at fo great a diftance. 
. To heighten their altonifliment^^ I placed 
them 
