332 
AFKICAN HUNTING. 
have but a dull time of it during their absence, as 
there is no game whatever here of any sort. I 
was obliged to kill an ox last week ; and were it not 
for my little pet Juno, I should often come short of 
both breakfast and dinner — the only two meals we 
ever indulge in. I have just returned from a long 
ramble amongst the thorns after the smaller bustard, 
which we call here bush koran. They are most deli¬ 
cious birds, from three to five pounds weight, and real 
game in their habits. The grass is quite white, and 
so dry that it crumbles into dust in your hand, and the 
ground is all cracked with the intense heat of the sun, 
so that you would say there could not be a particle 
of scent; still Juno footed up three bustards to ad¬ 
miration to-day. They are very difficult birds to put 
up ; they run like landrails, but, Juno once on the 
spoor, no dodge or device whatever avails them, turn 
and twist as they like ; she never requires either 
checking or encouraging, but is as near perfection as 
possible. I bagged all. These bustards will often run 
more than half a mile. I have shot large ones 
weighing over fifty-four pounds ; and a medium size 
also, from fifteen to thirty pounds ; geese, ducks, and 
every description of water-fowl, guinea-fowls, par¬ 
tridges, pheasants, snipe, and clikkop—a bird about 
the size and plumage of a curlew, with a short bill, 
also excellent eating. We can always get one sort or 
another, so that our bill of fare presents a tolerable 
variety, and anything much better than guinea-fowl, 
roast or curried, and buffalo tongue, it would not be 
