nas,
giving a peculiar character to the landscape.

The hunters noticed, as they went on, that the channel of the rivulet
became wider and larger, and that at times--no doubt after great
rains--a large quantity of water must have run in its bed, forming a
considerable river. But as the channel grew larger, the reverse was the
case with the quantity of running water. The farther down they proceeded
this became less and less; until, at the distance of a mile from camp,
the current ceased altogether.

For half-a-mile farther on they found water in stagnant pools, but none
running. The wide, dry channel, however, continued on as before; and the
"bush" extended on both sides without interruption, so thick that they
could only make way by keeping in the channel itself.

As they walked along, several kinds of small game were started. Hendrik
would gladly have taken a shot at some of these, but his father would
not permit him to fire just then. It might frighten away the great
"game" they were in search of, and which they might fall in with at any
moment. On their return Hendrik might do his best; and then the
field-cornet intended to assist him in procuring an antelope, as there
was no fresh venison in the camp. This, however, was a consideration of
secondary importance, and the first thing to be done was to try and get
a pair of tusks.

There was no objection to Swartboy using his bow, as that silent weapon
would cause no alarm. Swartboy had been taken along to carry the axe and
other implements as well as to assist in the hunt. Of course he had
brought his bow and quiver with him; and he was constantly on the watch
for something at which to let fly one of his little poisoned arrows.

He found a mark at length worthy of his attention. On crossing the plain
to avoid a large bend in the channel, they came upon a glade or opening
of considerable size, and in the middle of this glade a huge bird
appeared standing erect.

"An ostrich!" exclaimed Hendrik.

"No," replied Swartboy; "um ar da pauw."

"Yes," said Von Bloom, confirming Swartboy's statement, "it is the
pauw."

Now a "pauw" in the Dutch language is a "peacock." But there are no
peacocks in Africa. The peacock in its wild state inhabits only Southern
Asia and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The bird they saw, then,
could not be a peacock.

Neither was it one. And yet it bore some resemblance to a peacock, with
its long heavy tail and wings speckled and