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

rs sat together as usual at their cheery camp fire, "I saw som

g with an amused smile at the Bushman's serious f

ing, at sun-up, to start cutting out the rest of the teeth, I found the spoor of

nhabited country, but there must be some tribe or other in the neighbourhood, even if they were only Bus

forty miles of us. What I did find was spoor of a man wearing velschoen. He's not a white

; but after all they were a strong party, whom few would care to attack. And besides, who wa

ning on, Poeskop?" he

little man sententiou

s Karl Engelbrecht?

Bushman quietly. "It

is not the custom to do so. So long as fires are maintained, and some one awakes periodically to keep them supplied with wood, it is thought sufficient, and the whole camp is usually to be found wrapped in slumber. Hunters sleep

ll took their turns, and the guard was changed thrice during the time of dark

d no room in the wagon for more ivory, and it was therefore decided to hunt the great pachyderms no more for the present. If they could not carry the ivory, it would be criminal waste of life to shoot the beasts that bore that precious commodity. And so they moved forward steadily on their way, determined, if by chance they returned by that route, to have

oxen while they fed, presently came in with their charges, and the order was given to inspan. Seleti brought news that a big troop of eland had been feeding close to the camp during the night. They had no

om eagerly. "May we go? We shall probably be gone no

flesh as your ponies can carry. You had better take Poeskop with you, Guy; you're not yet a practised veldt man like Tom, and I wouldn't like you to get

aid Guy. "We shall be

t they took with them neither coats nor water-bottles, but just rode gaily off, calling to Poeskop, who was still saddling his pony, to follow them. Sel

wed that a large herd had gone by. "I never saw it before, but there's no mistaking i

who had heard Tom

ough. It is a big troop, seventy or eighty at leas

ed Tom. "We may have to rid

n run them down. At least, all the books I have ever read on A

ng, for miles, bent manifestly on seeking more secluded pastures. It was not until twelve o'clock, after a short off-saddle to rest their nags, that the hunters came up with them. They we

ese must

the trees on the right, some two hundred yards ahead, a numbe

" answered Poeskop. "They ar

heavy ox in the prime of condition, were trotting along briskly in front of them. The eland seldom runs at a gallop until very hard pressed; but the fine, slinging trot at which the great antelopes moved was fast enough to keep the hunters at a steady canter to hold them in view. Seven or eight enormous bulls ran with the herd--huge, ponderous fellows, with coats o

pater spoke of. I shall bear to the left; the troop seems to me to be spli

more entered on a stretch of nearly open grass veldt. Here Tom set his pony going in earnest. He was quickly up to the tail of a magnificent old bull, upon which he had fixed his attention. The great antelope was in far too high condition to stand a prolonged chase. So fat, so plethoric was

her shot, which put him out of his suffering, cast an admiring look at the splendid horns, and jumped on his pony again. Galloping along the spoor of a few of the retreating herd, which he was easily able to follow, in ten minutes he was within hail of the nearest of the troop. Now he singled out a fine cow, carrying a remarkably long and even pair of horns, and turning her from the rest galloped hard at her. In two miles the cow was beaten, and Tom, having raced past her, jumped off, and as she came by

e thick woodland, became lost to sight. Tom blamed himself bitterly for his neglect in not having thrown the reins as usual over the pony's head, so as to hang down in front of its fore-legs. This is an invariable South African custom, which all ponies understand and obey. Tom ha

g in the veldt a few miles away. It was now one o'clock; Tom had a very respectable thirst already upon him. Most foolishly, as he now remembered, he and Guy had ridden away from camp without their water-bottles--an act of folly of which, as Tom confessed to himself, he at all events ought never to have been guilty. Well, there was nothing for

knife from his belt, and, having first fired a couple of sho

wo bullets from his Mannlicher brought her down. During the run up he was somewhat astounded at the agility shown by these great antelopes; the bulls, it is true, pushed steadily on at a fast trot, but some

Next the Bushman cut off a quantity of the best part of the flesh, especially from the rump, loins, and brisket, and packing these, with a couple of marrow bones, carefully on the pony he rode, they prepared to set off. It was now two o'clock. Like Tom, they had set off hastily from camp

at morning in pursuit of the elands, and at four o'clock they halted to rest their nags and take reckoning. The whole country seemed to Guy absolutely alike--a vast flat, covered for

object seemed to be repeated interminably, and not a hill, or swelling of the ground, or any kin

lost your way? I hope not. I've got a thirst o

lly. "We have not lost our way yet. I

t seemed almost as if Poeskop was smelling his way. At all events, his savage instinct quickly reasserted itself. Touching his pony by the heel, he went resolutely forward. For another hour and a half they marched on in silence. The veldt seemed very desolate and very sombre. A

to camp out for the night. It's a bad job. I

n the Bushman pointed to the sand a few y

he wagon s

dle, the weight of his rifle, and the added labour of supporting the eland head in front of him, began to wonder if he could stick it out much longer. At last, towards nine o'clock, they saw, twinkling che

ily, as they rode up; "so you've

e," said Guy. "Hasn'

trace of anxiety; "but he'll be here pre

until to-day; not even when I got lost at Bamborough, hunting hartebeest. I

ottles and without food; and when I heard of it afterwards, I knew you would s

muddy, and ill-tasted as was the stuff, to Guy it seemed th

of that muddy stuff. Have a bowl of tea; it will qu

iece of thirst country, and it was absolutely essential that the oxen and wagon should trek on. The cattle had already endured two days and nights without touching water; they must reach the river-bed in front of them within

d at the fire waiting for the return of Tom. Poeskop had now to accompany the wagon and show the way to water. Dawn came round, but still Tom tarried. Mr. Blakeney bega

up its secret. Troops of eland and gemsbuck had wandered about the country meanwhile, obliterating all traces of the hunter's devious wanderings; and after searching throughout the long and hot day, the three camped out in that desolate wilderness, dead tired, disheartened, and, in the case of

keney's face, and was horrified at the change that had come over him. He looked ten years older, drawn, gr

nger. I pray God all may yet be well; but I fear--yes, I fear this hateful, waterless desert. It is a danger far worse than the w

It was pitiful to watch his uncle's restless anxiety, his feverish haste. Towards one o'clock it became apparent that their own horses were already jaded. They were now near the wagon spoor again, and, with the view of

emanded Mr. Blakeney,

He is not here. But his pony came in al

keney, in a despairing t

as a tough and a strong, and above all a courageous lad, but in this land of thirst even the strongest man can scarcely expect to hold out for more than three days an