s rolling down upon them from every direction, and had their eyes not
been so often deceived, they could easily have imagined that the dry
earth upon which they stood was about to be instantly submerged. While
contemplating this singular scene, their attention was called to another
no less singular.

It was that of a gigantic bird moving across the sky, not in flight, but
walking with long strides! They might have been alarmed but for their
knowledge of what it was.

An ostrich somewhere on the karroo was being reflected by the _mirage_,
and magnified to ten times its natural size.

On a former expedition our hunters had seen much of the singular
phenomena produced by the _mirage_. They had witnessed many, many
spectacles, but the one upon which they were now gazing excited their
admiration more than any they had ever encountered. The reflected
ostrich was perfect in shape, and his stalk so natural that, but for
what they knew, they might have believed that something as extraordinary
as anything seen by John the Revelator had descended to the earth from
another world. Such a sight, appearing in the sky that overhangs
Hampstead Heath, would have converted all London to a belief in the
prophecies of the Reverend Doctor Gumming.

As they stood gazing upon it, a cloud came rolling up the heavens,
carried along by a breeze that had commenced blowing from the west. By
this the _mirage_ was destroyed, and the vast spectral image suddenly
disappeared. The phantom shapes were seen no more; and soon after the
travellers saw before them some real ones, that led them to believe they
were approaching the limit of the karroo.

The ground was higher, more uneven, and covered by a more luxuriant
vegetation. Water would be found at no great distance. This fact was
deduced from the presence of some zebras and pallahs, seen feeding near,
as they knew that neither of those animals ever strays far from the
neighbourhood of a stream.

Near what may be called the border of the karroo, the hunters came
across what to them was a prize of some value. It was an ostrich-nest,
containing seventeen fresh eggs, which afforded the raw material for an
excellent dinner.

This was soon cooked and eaten; and our travellers continued their
march. But Swartboy had a passion either for killing ostriches, or
procuring their feathers. Possibly the _penchant_ might have been for
both; but, be that as it may, he was unwilling to go away from