others
do not permit them to stray far from the caves in which they are
littered; and these are usually crevices among rocks quite inaccessible
to man. How could he obtain a set of them? He had already formed such an
intention. Where could be their breeding place?

His reflections were interrupted at this point, by very singular
behaviour on the part of the wild hounds, and which gave him a new idea
of their intelligence that quite electrified him.

When the hartebeest stood to bay, and the hounds came up, Von Bloom very
naturally expected to see the latter run in upon their game, and at once
pull it to the ground. This he knew was their usual habit. What was his
astonishment at seeing the whole pack standing off to one side, as if
they intended to leave the antelope alone! Some of them even lay down to
rest themselves, while the others stood with open jaws and lolling
tongues, but without showing any signs that they intended further to
molest the panting quarry!

The field-cornet could observe the situation well, for the antelope was
on his side--that is, towards the cliffs--while the dogs were farther
out upon the plain. Another circumstance that astonished him was, that
the dogs, after running up and around the hartebeest, had actually drawn
off to their present position!

What could it mean? Were they afraid of its ugly horns? Were they
resting themselves before they should make their bloody onslaught!

The hunter kept his gaze intently fixed upon the interesting group.

After a while the antelope, having recovered its wind a little, and
seeing the pack so distant, made a fresh start.

This time it ran in a side direction, apparently with the intention of
gaining a hill that lay in that way, and up the sides of which it no
doubt calculated upon gaining some advantage. But the creature had
hardly stretched itself, when the hounds struck out after it; and in
five hundred yards running, once more brought it to a stand. Again the
pack took station at a distance, and the hartebeest stood upon the plain
alone!

Once more it essayed to escape, and started off with all the speed that
was left in its legs--the hounds as before trooping after.

This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a point in
the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the nwana-tree,
everybody had a fine view of it.

The hartebeest seemed to be going faster than ever, or, at all events,
the dogs did not now appear