to the river to drink, and allowed two hours to feed
before they started; for they were about to pass through a sterile
country of more than sixty miles, where they did not expect to find
either pasturage or water. They had not left the river more than three
miles behind them, when the landscape changed its appearance. As far as
the eye could scan the horizon, all vestiges of trees had disappeared,
and now the ground was covered with low stunted bushes and large stones.
Here and there were to be seen small groups of animals, the most common
of which were the quaggas. As our travellers were in the advance, they
started six or seven ostriches which had been sitting, and a ball from
the Major's rifle brought one to the ground, the others running off at a
velocity that the fastest horse could scarcely have surpassed.

"That was a good shot, Major," said Alexander.

"Yes," replied Swinton, "but take care how you go too near the bird; you
have broken his thigh, and he may be dangerous. They are very fierce.
As I thought, here is the nest. Let Bremen kill the bird,--he
understands them, Major. It is the male, and those which have escaped
are all females."

"What a quantity of eggs!" said Alexander. "Is the nest a joint
concern?"

"Yes," replied Swinton. "All those which are in the centre of the nest
with their points upwards are the eggs for hatching. There are, let me
see, twenty-six of them; and you observe that there are as many more
round about the nest. Those are for the food of the young ostriches as
soon as they are born. However, we will save them that trouble. Bremen
must take the eggs outside of the nest for us, and the others the people
may have. They are not very particular whether they are fresh or not."

"This is a noble bird," said the Major, "and has some beautiful
feathers. I suppose we may let Bremen take the feathers out and leave
the body?"

"Yes; I do not want it; but Bremen will take the skin, I dare say. It
is worth something at the Cape."

As soon as the Hottentots had secured the eggs, and Bremen had skinned
the ostrich, which did not occupy many minutes, they rode on, and
Swinton then said:--

"The male ostrich generally associates with from three to seven females,
which all lay in the same nest. He sits as well as the females, and
generally at night, that he may defend the eggs from the attacks of the
hyenas or other animals."

"You do not mean to say that he can fight thes