his companions, Arend,
looking towards a thicket about half a mile from the river, perceived a
small herd of antelopes quietly browsing upon the plain. Mounting his
horse, he rode off, with the intention of bagging one or more of them
for the day's dinner.

Having ridden to the leeward of the herd, and getting near them, he saw
that they were of the species known as "Duyker," or Divers (_Antelope
grimmia_). Near them was a small "motte" of the _Nerium oleander_, a
shrub about twelve feet high, loaded with beautiful blossoms. Under the
cover of these bushes, he rode up close enough to the antelopes to
insure a good shot, and, picking out one of the largest of the herd, he
fired.

All the antelopes but one rushed to the edge of the thicket, made a
grand leap, and dived out of sight over the tops of the bushes,--thus
affording a beautiful illustration of that peculiarity to which they are
indebted for their name of Divers. Riding up to the one that had
remained behind, and which was that at which he had fired, the young
hunter made sure that it was dead; he then trotted back to the camp, and
despatched Congo and the Bushman to bring it in. They soon returned
with the carcass, which they proceeded to skin and make ready for the
spit.

While thus engaged, Swartboy appeared to notice some thing out upon the
plain.

"Look yonner, Baas Arend," said he.

"Well, what is it, Swart?"

"You see da pack-horse dare? He gone too much off from de camp."

Arend turned and looked in the direction the Bushman was pointing. One
of the horses, which had strayed from its companions, was now more than
half a mile off, and was wandering onwards.

"All right, Swart. You go on with your cooking. I'll ride after it
myself, and drive it in."

Arend, again mounting his horse, trotted off in the direction of the
animal that had strayed.

For cooking the antelope, Congo and Swartboy saw the necessity of
providing themselves with some water; and taking a vessel for that
purpose, they set out for the drift,--that being the nearest place where
they could obtain it.

They kept along the bank of the river, and just before reaching a place
where they would descend to the water, Congo, who was in the advance,
suddenly disappeared! He had walked on to a carefully concealed pit,
dug for the purpose of catching hippopotami or elephants.

The hole was about nine feet deep; and after being astonished by
dropping into it, the Kaffir was