Chap. VIII. 
CEUELTY OF HUNTEKS. 
161 
salts are there still; and the only remedy is to get away as 
quickly as possible to the north. 
We dug out several wells; and as we had on each occasion to 
wait till the water flowed in again, and then allow our cattle to 
feed a day or two and slake their thirst thoroughly, as far as 
that could be done, before starting, our progress was but slow. 
At Koobe there was such a mass of mud in the pond, worked up 
by the wallowing rhinoceros to the consistency of mortar, that 
only by great labour could w© get a space cleared at one side, 
for the water to ooze through and collect in for the oxen. Should 
the rhinoceros come back, a single roll in the great mass we had 
thrown on one side would have rendered all our labour vain. It 
was therefore necessary for u.s to guard the spot by’night. On 
these great flats aU around we saw in the wliite sultry glare 
herds of zebras, gnus, and occasionally buffaloes, standing for 
days, looking wistfully towards the wells for a share of the nasty 
water. It is mere wanton cruelty to take advantage of the neces¬ 
sities of these poor animals, and shoot them down one after 
another, mthout intending to make the smallest use of either the 
flesh, skins, or horns. In shooting by night, animals are more 
frequently wounded than killed; the flowing life-stream increases 
the tliirst, so that in desperation they come slowly up to drink 
in spite of the danger,—I must drink, though I die.” The 
ostrich, even when not wounded, cannot with all his wariness 
resist the excessive desire to slake his burning thirst. It is 
Bushman-lfl^e practice to take advantage of its piteous neces¬ 
sities ; for most of the feathers they obtain are procured in this 
way, but they eat the flesh, and are so far justifiable. 
I could not order my men to do what I would not do myself; 
but, though I tried to justify myself on the plea of necessity, 
I could not adopt this mode of hunting. If your object is to 
secure the best specimens for a museum it may be allowable, and 
even deserving of commendation, as evincing a desire to kill only 
those really wanted; but if, as has been practised by some 
Griquas and others who came into the country after Mr. Gum¬ 
ming, and fired away indiscriminately, great numbers of animals 
are wnunded and ahov/ed to perish miserably, or are killed on 
the spot and left to be preyed on by vultures and hygenas, and 
all for the sole purpose of making a “ bag,” then I take it to be 
M 
