right
down between the pack and the zebras, wheeling upon the dogs as soon as
we had cut them off from the mare and foal. Then, swinging the loose
stirrups round our heads, we thundered down upon the discomfited pack,
uttering loud yells as we went. The brutes stood irresolute for a few
seconds longer, but presently, when we wheeled directly toward them,
they turned tail and bolted by the way that they had come, yelping with
fear as they went. But I was determined to inspire them with a
wholesome feeling of terror now that I had begun; therefore as soon as
we had overtaken the rearmost members of the flying pack we checked our
horses just sufficiently to keep pace with them, and then proceeded to
belabour the brutes soundly with our stirrup irons, the howls of anguish
to which the belaboured ones gave vent serving to add wings to the feet
of the rest. We chased the howling mob a good two miles--by which time
its members were crazy with fear--and then drew rein, feeling convinced
that they would give us no further trouble. Then we turned and cantered
back along the way by which we had come.

As we approached the spot where the zebra mare had fallen we saw,
somewhat to our astonishment, that the poor beast still lay where we had
left her, with the foal standing over her, smelling at her and licking
her face; and it then occurred to me that possibly we might be able to
capture the foal. I therefore spoke a word to Piet, and we pulled our
horses back to a walk. As the sound of our approaching hoofs reached
her ears, the mare made a scrambling effort to rise, and all but
succeeded, only to sink again to the earth with a moan, while the foal
threw up his head, galloped stiffly away a few yards, and then returned,
standing close to his prostrate parent's head and gazing at us with
enquiring eyes, his ears pointed forward, his nostrils twitching, and
his upper lip slightly raised, revealing his teeth in a somewhat
threatening manner.

At a distance of about seven or eight yards we reined up and dismounted,
moving slowly and with deliberation, in order that we might frighten the
animals as little as possible. Then, throwing our reins to the ground,
we walked quietly up to the pair and stood looking down at the mare, who
still lay upon her left side, with her limbs stretched stiffly out, her
sides heaving with a slow, laboured movement, her tongue hanging from
her mouth, her glassy eyes rolling in their sockets, and her