could be down upon them. Presently what David said took place. First
one klipdach appeared, and then another began running about or nibbling
the grass close to the rocks, but it was clear that they were watching
the bacha all the time. Still he did not move, and they began to run
further and further out into the open ground. Then two or three came
out together, and began leaping and frisking about. Presently the
hitherto immovable bacha leaped off the rock, spreading wide its huge
wings, and like a flash of lightning from a thunder-cloud darted down on
a klipdach on which it had fixed its keen eye. In vain the unfortunate
klipdach attempted to leap away. The bacha had cunningly noted the road
it came. In an instant it was in its claws, the poor little creature
screaming with terror. So rapid was its flight, that even if we had
wished it we could not have killed the bird. Off it went to the
pinnacle of the rock from whence it had descended, and there began
tearing its prey, which, happily, it soon must have put out of pain.
Though we waited some minutes, not another klipdach appeared, and we had
to go on some considerable way before we again caught sight of any of
the little creatures.

"Well," said David, "I do not know that it can matter much to the poor
klipdachs whether they are shot by us or caught by the bacha, but at all
events we will put them out of their suffering as soon as possible. Yet
I do not think we ought to throw stones at him. He follows his nature,
we follow ours."

After shooting as many rabbits as we required (by-the-by, their
scientific name, David told me, is _Hyrax capensis_), we made a circuit,
and took our way home along the plain. Leo and Natty were a little in
advance, when they came running back saying they had seen a big snake,
but before they could shoot it it had got away. Whether venomous or
not, of course they could not tell, but Leo declared that, from its
appearance, he was nearly certain it was so. It was a somewhat sandy
open spot, though a few bushes were near, among which we supposed the
snake had hid itself. We of course advanced carefully, when presently
in the distance we saw running over the ground a couple of
curious-looking birds, with long legs and a remarkable crest, which Leo
declared looked like a lawyer's wig. We hid ourselves behind a bush,
and the birds, not seeing us, came boldly on. On a nearer approach
David pointed out some feathers which seem