The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 07

ating, and they were content to take portions of the hide, the feet--which make excellent trophies--the tail, and the skin of the head. From the other two they took further tro

uet of giraffe venison. The flesh of a fresh young cow-giraffe is excellent, somewhat like good veal, with a game-like flavour of its own. But the bonnes-bouches of the evening meal we

ping of the savoury stuff, "this beats boiled beef marrow-b

There's nothing to equal it. But we must cry enough. It's rich food, and I've known men in the low count

smoking his pipe and skinning a beautiful crimson-breasted shrike which he had shot that afternoon in some thorn bu

y of marvellous brilliancy. Down the river there came the curious wailing titter of a jackal, then another. Not

n the fires. Do you, Mangwalaan, light another there, bey

the firewood, and soon ha

skop came up

oings, "is it true that the jackal is the lion's provider, and goes a

nd smiled a broad smile that wrinkled up h

at. But the lion knows from the jackal's c

then another, and then yet another across the river. Then the three roared in unison, creating a volume of sou

hat, lions have full stomachs, and are not hungry. It is only when they purr an

added Mr. Blakeney, "and they're

night--at least, I don't think so. There's the old manikin, the father lion--that wa

ou know that, Poes

o know every sound in the veldt by day and night, and the voice of every beast, big and little. My food and my life depended on it; and m

y beasts--the cleverest and most quick-witted in the veldt.

and Tom together. "

. It was a fine night, just like this, and the jackal busied himself in throwing the fish out of the wagon as far as he was able, sniggering to himself as he did so. Then, presently, he slipped down, and went back along the road to his feast. But he found, to his great annoyance, that a great spotted hy?na and his wife had already found and eaten up most of the fish. Master Jackal thought a little, and decided to hide his vexation, and then explained to the hy?na his plan; and the hy?na said it was good, and he would try it one of these days. So a little while after the hy?na saw the wagon coming from the sea again, laden with fish

ndsome skin that helped you. Never min

nd went off with his tail up, havin

ughter at this si

part of the country do your people

ve been hunted about by stronger tribes, until there are few of us remaining. And so we live in the deserts with the wild beasts, and pick up our living as best we can. There are other Bushmen tribes among us--that is, San-Hottentots--the Ai-San and the Kun-San, and the Au-ai-San and the An-San, and others. They lead hard lives, an

Poeskop?" queried Tom. "Di

had been in the Old Colony, and knew all about the coast. He said my face reminded him of a seafish call

, which Guy and Tom vainly tried to imitate. The little man went int

o wonderfully small space, and were put away on the wagon each morning. The two lads were at this time allowed to sleep the night through without being disturbed. Mr. Blakeney, Jan Kokerboom, the driver, and Poeskop each woke once in turn during the small hour

goal, that mysterious kloof of gold of which they often talked as they sat together round the camp fire. The wagon moved off after breakfast, therefore, while Mr. Blakeney and the two boys, with Poeskop--who had meanw

here and there in its sandy bed, the hunters rode on quietly till they came within half a mile of the nearest troop. Mr. Bla

onder are ostriches and Burchell's zebra. Tom and I will have a try at those. Do you, Guy, take Poeskop, and ride quietly for the big troop of blue wildebeest on the right. You'

air for danger, and those animals which had been lying down had sprung to their feet. There was no time to be lost. "We must hart-loup [gallop]," said Poeskop quietly; and shaking up the willing nags, the two dashed headlong for the game. Now, at last, the wildebeest took real alarm. Bunching together in a big phalanx, plunging and capering, and whisking their long black tails, the troop set off at what looked like a heavy lumbering gallop, but was in reality a swift pace, taking a course right-handed in the direction of the river-bed. Guy, as he galloped, watched the herd with intense interest. It was the first time he had run blue wildebeest, or, as he had been accustomed to call them in England, b

!" to convince Guy that he now saw before him a brace of rhinoceroses, as well as buffaloes and blue wildebeest. It was a thrilling moment; and the lad, with blithe countenance and the light of supreme joy--the wild joy of the hunter--in his blue eyes, shook up his good pony to yet a faster pace. The blue wildebeest were neglected now; which should he first go for, the buffaloes or the rhinoceroses? His mind was instantly made up. The buffaloes were neares

kop, who had ridden up with Guy's second rifle

nd thought the advice good. Jumping on to his pony again, he took the Martini rifle from Poeskop, hand

ts short legs and enormously massive frame, seemed little short of marvellous. The fleeing hunters, l

dripping blood from his distended nostrils and mouth, stood again. Again Guy approached, this time very warily. He walked his pony to within fifty paces of the bull, and then, getting a quick but steady aim from his saddle, fir

d horns, so gnarled about the centre as to remind him of the roots of some tough oak. They were, indeed, trop

a rhinoster. Look!" He pointed towards the river-bed, skirti

rhinoster, by all means. Come along; forrar

, and were standing at gaze a quarter of a mile away, evidently meditating a rush for the coveted shelter of the river bush. Galloping on, the hunters were presently within a quarter of a mile of the rhinos, which, considering their gigantic size and unwie

must look out, for the rhinoster is a nast

idently scenting the air for danger, and listening intently; its huge misshapen head, garnished, as Guy noted, with a magnificent fore-horn, turning swiftly from side to side, as if peering this way and that. Guy knew from his uncle what poor sight these creatures have, and, dismounting, crept round to obtain a fairer and a closer shot

nster had vanished into the dense bush almost before its assailant had realized that

in," said the Bushman. "We will follow h

oon out of danger. Not so Guy's mount, which seemed for some seconds paralyzed with fear, and stood rooted in its tracks, staring at the approaching monster. By dint of a violent wrench of the bridle, and fierce spurring, Guy got the affrighted pony's head round. It moved at last. It was too la

e ground, his head supported by a saddle,

hman cheerfully. "Now you will soon be your o

oeskop put to his lips, and felt better.

appened?"

appened was this," he said. "That rhinoster caught you, and just ran his horn through your horse, and threw you both over his head

smile flitting over his white face. "I fee

p, and propped him i

s eyes, and looking at his pony, whi

g, and put a bullet into him to hasten his end and save him suffering. He was a fool, and might easily have escaped. As it was, he

was a duffer to behave as he did, but I shall miss h

Now you must rest here while I make a fire and get some food for you. Baas Blakeney will see the smoke presently, an

man's hand. He felt strangely stiff and sore and much shaken, but he had no broken

a tree, "I think I got off rattling well. A toss from a

saw it in your face when first I set eyes on you. You will be a great hunter, and have already made a first-class beginning. But you must beware of three things in the hunting veldt--

tle more brandy and water, felt vastly stronger. Poeskop now set to work, and with a light native hatchet chopped the horns from the snout of the dead rhinoceros. Then, taking