onger than the hind
ones--gave to the spinal column a sharp downward slant towards the tail.
The latter appendage, short and "bunchy," ended abruptly, as if either
cut or "driven in,"--adding to the uncouth appearance of the animal. A
stiff hedge of hard bristles upon the back continued its _chevaux de
frise_ along the short, thick neck, till it ended between two erect
tufted ears. Such was the shape of the beast that had suddenly presented
itself to the eyes of our adventurers.

They had a good opportunity of observing its outlines. It was on the
ridge towards the crest of which they were advancing. The moon was
shining beyond. Every turn of its head or body--every motion made by its
limbs--was conspicuously revealed against the luminous background of the
sky.

It was neither standing, nor at rest in any way. Head, limbs, and body
were all in motion,--constantly changing, not only their relative
attitudes to one another, but their absolute situation in regard to
surrounding objects.

And yet the change was anything but arbitrary. The relative movements
made by the members of the animal's body, as well as the absolute
alterations of position, were all in obedience to strictly natural
laws,--all repetitions of the same manoeuvre, worked with a monotony
that seemed mechanical.

The creature was pacing to and fro, like a well-trained sentry,--its
"round" being the curved crest of the sand-ridge, from which it did not
deviate to the licence of an inch. Backward and forward did it traverse
the saddle in a longitudinal direction,--now poised upon the
pommel,--now sinking downward into the seat, and then rising to the
level of the coup,--now turning in the opposite direction, and retracing
in long, uncouth strides, the path over which it appeared to have been
passing since the earliest hour of its existence!

Independent of the surprise which the presence of this animal had
created, there was something in its aspect calculated to cause terror.
Perhaps, had the mids known what kind of creature it was, or been in any
way apprized of its real character, they would have paid less regard to
its presence. Certainly not so much as they did: for, instead of
advancing upon it, and making their way over the crest of the ridge,
they stopped in their track, and held a whispered consultation as to
what they should do.

It is not to be denied that the barrier before them presented a
formidable appearance. A brute, it appeared as big