i8o TRAVELS IN 
myfelf, and returned to the fpot himfelf, to put 
them to flight, when, he aflured me, they 
would undoubtedly pafs over my head. His 
conjefture was, however, not verified : thefe 
birds, more cunning than we, had perceived 
our ftratagem ; and feeing but one perfon, in- 
ftead of two, they fufpected that the abfence 
of the other Vv^as to be dreaded, and accord- 
ingly flew off in a different direction. By 
fearching the environs, it would probably have 
been eafy for me to find them again ; but then 
I fhould have run the rlfk of rendering them 
more fhy, and of making them, perhaps, de- 
fert the country. Befides, I was not willing to 
fire at the one, till I fhould be certain that my 
fecond fhot w^ould bring down the other. I 
deferred the excu^rfion, therefore, till after din- 
ner, and we returned to the houfe. 
In the evening, jufi: before fun-fet, I again re- 
paired to my lurking-place ; and that I might 
not be obferved by the anhingas, I went thither 
diredlly, while young Liewenburg, on his part, 
proceeded alone to the tree. This time the de- 
ception fucceeded : the two birds, having no 
caufe of fufpicion, paflfed me at the diftance of 
twenty paces, and by means of my double- 
bar- 
