142 
THE NEW AFRICA 
we camped, having travelled seven miles, the last three nearly 
due west along the Chobe banks. We were informed by 
the natives that this was chief ‘ Jeluka’s ’ old drift. Our 
accessory bearers here put down the loads, saying that they had 
orders to return from this place, but that the natives whom they 
would fetch from across the river were to carry our loads 
onward. Although we found the chief opposite was absent, the 
natives cheerfully consented to carry us forward, begging as a 
preliminary that we would shoot them some meat for their 
families. So, to keep our friendship warm, I went with seven 
boys into the sand belts in search of game. There was a large 
fire consuming the bush and thicket about two miles off on a 
belt, and towards this we went in hopes of finding big game 
fleeing from the fire. Close to camp I shot a letzwee, and on 
reaching the belt we found the fire raging in the foliage on top 
of the trees, here forming a fine open forest. The crackling and 
sharp intonation of breaking branches as they fell aflame on the 
clear open ground below, and the raging fire afforded a unique 
spectacle such as I had never before witnessed. A troop of 
rooi buck we found in this forest, apparently dazed by the fierce 
fire and burning branches falling around them, allowed me to 
quietly walk within easy shooting distance, where I squatted 
down, my favourite position for steady shooting, and dropped six 
buck with as many shots before the animals could collect their 
wits and make off. While we were cutting them up, preparatory 
to starting for home, a ram hard hit lying a little way off sprang 
up and hurried away on the tracks of his mates, and although 
two of the boys gave chase he got clear away, probably to die 
later, or to be pulled to pieces by jackals in the night if he sur¬ 
vived till then. 
On the way back to camp it was just growing dusk when the 
boys pointed out a troop of sassaby (bush hartebeest) grazing in 
the distance. Too lazy to stalk up to them I chanced a shot at six 
hundred yards, and during the ensuing dispute whether the shot 
had told or not, sent off a boy to look. He called out to us on 
reaching the spot, and when we got there we found a young 
