ough goat on the sideboard, I started before the break of next morning
in pursuit of game, and was soon to be seen crawling on hands and knees
after antelope, I am afraid unmindful of puff-adders and pitfalls.

"By and by the path followed the bed of a narrow stream, which was
completely ploughed with the tracks of buffalo and giraffe, as fresh as
fresh could be. Our impression was, and probably it was right, that the
former were lurking in the dense thicket close by. The breathless
excitement that such a position keeps you in does much to help along the
weary miles of the march, and to ward off attacks of fever. All
experienced hands out here recommend that men should, while not losing
sight of their one grand object, keep themselves amused.

"Your cousin Gordon and I, with our boys, had led the van all the
morning. He, having lately had fever, complained of being tired, and
begged me to continue in pursuit of game alone, merely taking my one
faithful boy with me to carry my gun; but I refused to leave him, for
never had I complained of an ache or pain but what he was at my side to
help and comfort me. We sat down and rested, and the other brethren,
with a party of a dozen or fourteen, marched on ahead. They had not gone
many hundred yards before I heard the whiz of a bullet. 'They have found
game,' said I. Bang went a second shot. 'It's a herd.' Then another.
'Yes, it must be a herd.' Then a fourth, and it dawned on me that they
were attacked by robbers--the far-famed Ruga-Ruga.

"'Stay where' you are,' I cried, and dashed off, closely followed by my
boys. The bangs had now reached seven, and we had not the slightest
doubt it was an attack of robbers, and so it proved to be. My anxiety
was relieved by seeing our men all intact, standing together at bay with
a foe that was nowhere to be beheld. I soon learnt that as they were
quietly proceeding a party of the savage Wahumba tribe had swooped down
upon them; but seeing white men with rifles had fled with the utmost
precipitation, without even discharging a poisoned arrow. To make their
flight more rapid the white men had fired their rifles in the air; and
one in grabbing his gun from his boy had managed to discharge it in
such a manner as to blow off the sight of his neighbour's rifle. Finding
that danger was at an end for the time being, I begged them to remain as
they were, ready to receive an attack, while I returned with my boys to
Gordon, and got the stragglers to