e seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is
no doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyse almost any
beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that
repeated blows upon the nose will go farther than any other means to
break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted
to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just
as much as it is worth."

"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can
produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?"

"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be
excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather
than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might
be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient
reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would
ever think of taming a scorpion?"

"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has
resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree, is the
grizzly bear of North America."

"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the
present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most
unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten
lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go
to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?"

The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that
duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the
fellow at last woke up.

"Is it your watch?"

"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross.

"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next
time it is served out."

"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied
Adam, getting up on his legs.

"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major walking to his waggon.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

As they fully expected to fall in with a herd of buffaloes as they
proceeded, they started very early on the following morning. They had
now the satisfaction of finding that the water was plentiful in the
river, and, in some of the large holes which they passed, they heard the
snorting and blowing of the hippopotami, to the great delight of the
Hottentots, who were very anxious to procure one, being very partial to
its flesh.

As