AN AFRICAN ‘DONNYBROOK’ 
79 
our blankets on a layer of cut grass, and, with, cheerful tires 
lighting up the open space in front at our feet, passed the night 
in slumber. This skerm is all that is necessary for protection 
in fine weather. When it rains it is otherwise. For the many 
months we traversed the central basin of South Africa, the 
glorious weather necessitated no other provision than this for 
our shelter. 
On July the 9 th a great row amongst our boys, who started 
fighting over portions of meat killed that day, necessitated the 
interference of Gaula (Jan’s hunting name) and myself, with 
cudgels, in the interests of peace. We utilised the occasion to 
pay off old scores on the bullies in the camp; and it is with 
some satisfaction I relate bringing to his knees a gigantic 
Batoka, whom I had marked some time before as one of the 
ringleaders of discontent, with a succession of blows on his 
adamant skull that would have called for a coroner’s inquest if 
applied to a civilised head. Gaula, hard pressed, resorted to his 
gun, letting it off amongst three raving boys, whose excitement 
led them to extremes. The shot, intentionally fired wide, 
startled them into submission, thus terminating a battle of 
sticks not behind a good 13onnybrook festival, where every one 
hits the other with most impartial amicability. Of course, Jan 
received a severe reprimand for his indiscretion in using fire¬ 
arms ; for should the bearers once get the idea that their lives 
were not safe, we felt that they would desert us on the first 
opportunity. 
Along the river banks we passed many pans of beautiful 
clear water teeming with wild-fowl, while game was very plenti¬ 
ful. Rooi buck and letzwee we commenced to look upon as 
hardly worth a shot, and only when short of meat, or near a 
camping ground, condescended to destroy them. Hammar, who 
wanted a snack for lunch, one day fired into a troop of rooi 
buck, downing two with one shot at about eighty yards. When 
he proceeded to bleed them, they both had enough life left to 
show fight, jumping up and butting Hammar severely, while he 
with his long dagger defended himself, now on the ground, then 
