r. It might
have terrified anything,--the odd-looking creature that it was. From
out a hole in the clay wall protruded a long naked cylindrical snout,
mounted by a pair of ears nearly as long as itself, that stood erect
like the horns of a steinbuck, and gave to the animal that bore them a
wild and vicious look. It would have badly frightened me, had I not
known what it was; but I recognised it at once as one of the most
inoffensive creatures in the world--the `aard-vark.'

"His appearance accounted for the retreat of the bull, and also
explained why the ants had been crawling about on my first reaching
their hill.

"Without saying a word, or making the slightest noise, I clubbed my gun;
and, bending downward, struck the protruded snout a blow with the butt.
It was a most wicked blow; and, considering the service the creature had
just done me in frightening off the wildebeest, a most ungrateful
return. But I was not master of my feelings at the moment. I did not
reflect--only that I liked aard-vark flesh--and the blow was given.

"Poor fellow! It did the job for him. With scarce a kick he dropped
dead in the opening he had scraped with his own claws.

"Well--my day's adventures were not yet ended. They seemed as though
they were never to end. I had got the aard-vark over my shoulders, and
was about heading homeward, when, to my astonishment, I observed that
the bull-gnoo--not the one that had besieged me, but his late
antagonist--was still out upon the plain where I had last seen him! I
observed, moreover, that he was still in a sort of half-lying
half-kneeling attitude, with his head close to the ground!

"His odd movements seemed stranger than anything else. I fancied he had
been badly hurt by the other, and was not able to get away.

"At first I was cautious about going near him--remembering my late
narrow escape--and I thought of giving him a wide berth, and leaving him
alone. Even though wounded, he might be strong enough to charge upon
me; and my empty gun, as I had already proved, would be but a poor
weapon with which to defend myself.

"I hesitated about going near him; but curiosity grew strong within me,
as I watched his queer manoeuvres; until at length I walked up within a
dozen yards of where he was kneeling.

"Fancy my surprise on discovering the cause of his oblique movements.
No hurt had he received of any kind--not even a scratch; but for all
that, he was as completely crippled as i