^54 TRAVELS. IN 
have been lefs forward in my compliments to 
a fpruce petit-maltre of my own country, moft 
efpecially if his foppery betrayed itfelf in the 
putting on a pair of fpedacles. 
What I had predided in pleafantry was after- 
wards confirmed : Jonker became in reality 
the moft intelligent, and the firft of my pur- 
veyors, A few obfervations will explain this 
fmgularity. Hunting in Africa is a very dif- 
ferent purfuit from what it is in Europe. There 
the talent of the hunter does not, as here, con- 
fift only in having a fteady hand, and a fure 
eye : with thefe qualities he muft poflefs others 
ftill more eflential, and without which nothing 
is to be done againft the cunning of the an- 
telopes of the defert. He muft have an acute 
fight, fo as to difcover the game at a confider- 
able diftance before they difcover him; he 
muft employ great art to lure and to deceive 
them ; above all, he muft pofTefs an a£tive body, 
capable of affuming every pofition, and of 
drawing itfelf patiently for a long time upon 
the ground, in order to get within reach with- 
out being perceived. Thefe are the qualifica- 
tions of good African hunters ; this it is which 
gives them that rare charafter, fo highly 
efteemed 
