LARGE HERD OF ZEBRA 
85 
a black object disappear behind a tree to drink. Presently 
a most amusing sight presented itself. Out of the pit of 
water surrounded by trees ran four little wart hogs, 
followed by their mother and father, every one holding 
his or her tail on high. Pun, run, run, and squeak, grunt, 
squeak they went. I laughed so much at the funny sight 
that I clean missed the old boar, who brought up the rear, 
and who possessed a very handsome pair of tusks. We 
descended a small bank, and after drinking I had a most 
refreshing bath in the yellow muddy pit. On the trees 
around this water-hole I noticed some beautifully plumaged 
weaver birds, which looked like bits of brilliant orange and 
black plush hopping about. Round the water we found 
the tracks of hundreds of zebra and rhinoceros. 
We then retraced our steps across the open plain to 
where our camp had been pitched. After breakfast I 
sallied forth to sit near one of the wells to wait for zebra 
to come for their afternoon drink. Directly I got outside 
my tent I beheld a grand sight ; the grassy plain was what 
my headman called ‘ covered up with game.' Sitting down, 
with my telescope I counted -over 100 zebra quietly feeding 
towards the water, and ^ owl ' gazelle on all sides wherever 
I looked. We vralked across the plain, the gazehe slowly 
walking out of our way on either side of us, and standing 
to stare at so unaccustomed a sight. We sat down close 
to the well. But what .with the flies, and what with the 
heat, and one thing and another, I soon voted it not good 
enough, and walked forth to meet the incoming zebra. 
But there they stood, right bang in the open, under two 
or three solitary trees, a long, long shot. There they 
stood, and refused to budge, standing in couples, facing 
both ways. At length I determined to try to reach a 
bush about 100 yards from them, and in order to accomplish 
this I was obliged to crawl in full view of them for some 
50 yards. My lazy shikari, however, would not crawl, 
but, squatting down, he walked crab-like, waving the rifle 
about on high as he proceeded. Turning round, I beckoned 
