an an ordinary quadruped, but its habits are almost exactly like those
of the aard-vark. It burrows, digs open the ant-hills by night,
projects a long viscous tongue among the insects, and devours them with
avidity.

When suddenly overtaken, and out of reach of its underground retreat, it
"clews" up like the hedgehog, and some species of the South American
armadillos--to which last animal it bears a considerable resemblance on
account of its scaly coat of mail.

This ant-eater is known as the "pangolin," or "manis," but there are
several species of "pangolin" not African. Some are met with in
Southern Asia and the Indian islands. That which is found in South
Africa is known among naturalists as the "long-tailed" or "Temminck"
pangolin (_Manis Temminckii_).

Totty soon produced a roasted "peacock," or rather a hastily-broiled
bustard. But, although, perhaps, not cooked "to a turn," it was
sufficiently well done to satisfy the stomachs for which it was
intended. They were all too hungry to be fastidious, and, without a
word of criticism, they got through their dinner.

Hans then commenced relating the history of his day's adventure.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST.

"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when a
herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on in
single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in the
water, before I thought of molesting them in any way.

"Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but I
was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did not
think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking.
Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would be
nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd of
gnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from their
being smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knew
that the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made up
my mind we should all dine upon it.

"I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent I
had been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had not
thought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for how
knew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even?

"I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leaving
the water; and, as soon as the