THE HONEY BIRD 
63 
hauled the struggling boys, some six in number, over to the 
other side, and then twined a third of its length round two 
of the boys, tying them immovably to one another. An axe 
speedily settled the difficulty, and before long portions of this 
leviathan were roasting on a fire improvised by the boys for the 
occasion. We tasted of the fine-looking white meat out of 
curiosity, which, except for a slightly musty taste, much 
resembled the flesh of fowls. I must confess, however, that 
our natural repugnance to such a beast formed an effectual 
barrier to swallowing the morsels we had taken into our mouths, 
and we spat them out amidst mutual laughter. 
A recollection of my early hunting days in the Bush Veldt 
occurs to me, when, in company with several other hunters, a 
honey bird led us directly to a fierce old black rhinoceros bull 
lying asleep in the long grass under a tree. We did not observe 
the rhinoceros until we were quite close upon him, as he was 
hidden by the long grass, and besides, our attention was directed 
more towards the bird, who sat twittering excitedly in the branches 
as if joyful over having completed some virtuous act. The first 
intimation of the rhinoceros we got was his suddenly rising, and 
charging at the centre of our party. We scattered without loss 
of time, and before the brute was twenty yards away he came 
down with a crash from the volley we gave him as he passed. 
I may mention that there was no honey in that tree, and that 
the bird disappeared, probably frightened by the fusilade we 
gave the rhinoceros on his appearance. Yet before the rhino¬ 
ceros appeared, the bird had the behaviour, to all our minds, 
of having completed his mission, as he remained in the tree till 
we came up, and did not fly on beyond, as is usual when leading 
one to the goal. He was apparently satisfied that his share 
of the work was done. 
Jan brewed us a famous beer from the honey, and that night, 
in recognition of the occasion, the natives held a dance un¬ 
surpassed for wildness under the great trees by firelight. 
Two rows of about twenty dancers were formed some fifteen 
feet apart, illumined by a large fire at each end, each row repre- 
