WALK A RACE WITH CHIKI 
157 
Child, with whom I had previously often tried conclusions 
on foot, was much delighted at the walk, declaring that this 
was the first fair opportunity he had had for making a trial, as 
on all previous occasions he had been handicapped by the day’s 
work. We had a grand spin of ten miles through sand in 
a north-north-westerly direction, while the rest trotted, so great 
was the pace, yet neither of us gained a decided advantage. 
Here we came to a creek about two feet deep, which we crossed, 
and went on about another good mile to a small village. Our 
approach was so unexpected and sudden that we walked right 
into the midst of a circle of women and girls, peacefully nursing 
their children and cooking the evening meal, who no sooner 
recognised the presence of a white man, than they stampeded in 
all directions, screaming like a flock of startled birds. We had 
to await the arrival of the head man of the village, who was out 
hunting, before permission was given us to camp for the fast 
approaching night. Our supper was very simple, consisting of 
some wild mabula fruit we had hastily gathered en route. 
The greater part of the day’s march took us through a magni¬ 
ficent open forest of large trees, with no underwood to hamper 
our progress. There was much game spoor, as usual, and once 
we came upon an old rhinoceros mooning along between the 
trees, apparently half asleep, for he allowed us to approach 
within eighty yards before realising our presence; and then, 
awake to the situation, went off* with peculiar, elastic, long- 
reaching bounds that took him over the ground at a surprising 
speed. I did not hunt along the road, hoping that luck would 
favour me by bringing game within reach towards evening, but 
in this I was disappointed. 
On bidding farewell to our hosts of the night, on the follow¬ 
ing morning, an old dame asked me for some large white beads 
to make the counterpart of a necklace she already wore. It 
was with evident signs of grief that she said good-bye when I 
told her that I had no beads, and therefore could not comply 
with her request. Not even the piece of cloth given her seemed 
to cheer her for the loss of what she had evidently been making 
