opard; besides, I
think, two or three smaller varieties, as the tiger-cat and wild cat.
What do you propose doing to-day? Do you stay here, or advance,
Wilmot?"

"Why, the Major wishes to have a shot at the gnoos; he has never killed
one yet; and as I am of his opinion, that a day's rest will recover the
oxen, and we are in no hurry, I think we may as well stop and provision
our camp for a few days."

"With all my heart. I am sorry that the hyena has added to our store,
by obliging us to kill the poor ox; however, it cannot be helped. There
is a large body of gnoos and quaggas under that small hill to the
westward; but there are better animals for the table when we get a
little further to the northward."

"Which are those?"

"The eland, the largest of the antelope species, and sometimes weighing
more than a thousand pounds; moreover, they are very fat, and very easy
to run down. They are excellent eating. When I was in the Namaquas'
land, we preferred them to any other food; but I see another variety of
game on the plain there."

"What?"

Omrah pointed them out. "They are either Bushmen (tame Bushmen, as they
are called, in contradistinction to the others), or else Korannas; most
probably the latter. They are coming right towards us; but Mahomed says
breakfast is ready."

By the time that breakfast was finished, a party of twelve Korannas had
joined the caravan. They made signs that they were hungry, pointing to
the straps which confined their stomachs. The interpreter told them
that they were about to hunt, and that they should have some of the
game, at which they were much pleased.

"Do you know what those straps are called, round their waist, Wilmot?"
said Swinton. "They are called the belts of famine. All the natives
wear them when hard pressed by hunger, and they say that they are a
great relief. I have no doubt but such is the fact."

"Well," said the Major, "I hope soon to enable the poor fellows to
loosen their belts, and fill their stomachs till they are as tight as a
drum. Saddle the horses, Bremen. Omrah, you ride my spare horse and
carry my spare rifle."

Omrah, who now understood English, although he spoke but few words, gave
a nod of the head and went off to the waggon for the Major's rifle.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

As soon as the horses were ready, our travellers set out in chase of the
gnoos and quaggas, which were collected to the westward of the caravan.
Bremen, Swanevelt,