sible spirits, and ready for the sport.
As the sun rose, however, and they got on the lower ground, the heat
increased, and they appeared to have passed into a different region.
Occasionally from the woods came the cheerful chirp of the feathered
tribe, but otherwise, all around was hot, silent, and lonely.

"We shall be in sight of some game soon, or I am much mistaken,"
observed Rupert. "I'll send the Kaffirs out on either side to turn them
towards us, and it will be hard if we don't manage to knock over some
before long. I ordered the two Hottentot boys to bring on the light
waggon to take home the game, for we can carry back but a small portion
on our horses."

Just as he spoke, a troop of graceful pallahs appeared bounding along in
the distance. They stopped gazing in wonder and terror at the
strangers, while the two Kaffirs, making a wide circuit, galloped on in
the hope of cutting them off. Still the animals stood gazing until
Rupert and Crawford got considerably nearer, when two or three of them
were seen to change their places; then suddenly the whole herd, each
leaping high in the air, started off as fast as they could go,
apparently endeavouring to avoid one of the Zulus who was coming up.
The effect was singularly pretty, as they made bound after bound, the
red on their backs and sides, and the white on the under parts of their
bodies, alternately appearing and disappearing. In vain the hunters
rode after them.

"We may have some of those fellows yet, though," observed Rupert; "but
we must be more careful how we approach them."

Almost immediately afterwards some loud sneezes were heard, and looking
to the right they caught sight of a troop of mingled gnus and quaggas,
passing and repassing without a pause. Every now and then a gnu would
rush out from among the crowd, whisk his tail, give a sneeze, and then
rush back again amongst his comrades. Now and then a young gnu was seen
to fall behind with its mother, or the bull would drop out of the ranks,
and switching it severely with its long tail, compel it to keep up. The
older quaggas also seemed to keep their youngsters in excellent order.

Frequently, for some misdemeanour, one of the elder animals, with its
ears back, would make a rush at one of the smaller ones, and give it a
severe bite as a hint to it to keep in its place. As the hunters got
near the herd, the animals, turning their heads towards them for an
instant, suddenly whisked round