weeks, and
I intend to make every effort to give him this great pleasure as soon as
possible.

We exchanged the most hearty farewells when the time of parting came,
and our host was most earnest in his entreaties to us to remain; but it
was a question of getting out of the bush before dusk, so we could not
delay. He sent Sandy to guide us by a rather longer but easier way than
climbing up the steep cliff to the place where the little clearing at
its edge which I have mentioned had been made; and we dismissed our
guide quite happy with contributions from all the tobacco-pouches,
for no one had any money with him. We found our way back again by the
notches on the trees as long as the light lasted, and when it got
too dark to see them easily, the smouldering trunks guided us, and we
reached the clearing from which we started in perfect safety. Good Mrs.
D---- had a bountiful tea ready; she was much concerned at our having
yet some three miles of bad walking before we could reach the hut on the
outskirts of the bush, where we had left the trap and the ponies. When
we got to this point there was actually another and still more sumptuous
meal set out for us, to which, alas! we were unable to do any justice;
and then we found our way to the station across the flat, down a steep
cutting, and through the river-bed, all in the dark and cold. We had
supper as soon as we reached home, tumbling into bed as early as might
be afterwards for such a sleep as you Londoners don't know anything
about.

I have only described one expedition to you, and that the most
unsuccessful, as far as killing anything goes; but my hunting instincts
only lead me to the point of reaching the game; when it comes to that,
I always try to save its life, and if this can't be done, I retire to
a distance and stop my ears; indeed, if very much over-excited, I can't
help crying. Consequently, I enjoy myself much more when we don't kill
anything; and, on the other occasions, I never could stop and see even
the shot fired which was to bring a fine cow or a dear little calf down,
but crept away as far as ever I could, and muffled my head in my jacket.
The bushmen liked this part of the performance the best, I believe, and
acted as butchers very readily, taking home a large joint each to their
huts, a welcome change after the eternal pigeons, ka-kas, and wild ducks
on which they live.

Letter XXII: The exceeding joy of "burning."

Broomielaw, December 1