30 
COME ON, MAN. 
him on the wing as he comes out. We must carry some- 
ihing back at any rate.” 
So I fired into the bushes; and oh! such a scream as 
saluted our affrighted ears in return! one would have 
thought that half the women in Africa had been shot all 
over except in their tongues and throats, and that the 
other half were helping them to scream. 
There ! now you’ve done it !” exclaimed my instigator, 
as he took to his heels and ran with a speed indicating 
any thing but his having tired himself over the potato- 
patch. “Cbme on^ man !” 
I did not wait for a second invitation, but followed 
his example with the spasmodically-braced muscles of 
alarmed excitement. We really thought I might have 
killed some one; and the cruelty of running away with- 
out rendering him, her, or them, any aid that might have 
been in our power, did not strike us until after we had 
put several hundred yards between us: then we called a 
halt, concluded to return, and did so nearly as fast as we 
had left. 
We found that I had fired pellmell in among a dozen 
or more Hottentot washerwomen, without drawing a 
drop of blood or otherwise harming them, except by a 
slight stinging; and, when we had acknowledged the 
mistake, they rubbed themselves, seemed perfectly satis- 
fied, and went quietly on vdth their washing, while we 
bade them a smiling adieu and continued on our way to 
the pilot’s. lie received us quite wai’mly, treated us to 
as much pure fresh milk, butter, and bread as we could 
dispose of, showed us all through his wdialing establish- 
ment, and ended by asking us to dinner. This latter we 
