and dismounted. The sluggish tortoise stopped,
recognised in me an enemy, and drew in its head and feet. After lifting
and looking at him I set him down. Then it occurred to me that some one
had said a tortoise could carry a man. I stepped upon this one's back
forthwith. He lay perfectly still for some time. At last with great
caution the head and feet were protruded. Another pause, as if of
meditation, then the feet were applied to the ground; they pushed and
strained, until finally the creature advanced about two inches, and then
stopped! This was not much, but it was sufficient to prove his great
strength, and to convince me that a large tortoise could easily have
walked off with a little boy.

I found Bonny dismounted and waiting.

"No steenboks to-day, I fear," he said.

"We must have a shot at something, Bonny," said I, dismounting, and
sitting down on an anthill. Having been a fair average shot in a rifle
corps in Scotland I took careful aim at a small bush, bent on doing
credit to the British Volunteers. The result was a "bull's-eye."

"Capital!" exclaimed Bonny; "if you shoot like that you'll kill plenty
of boks."

Half an hour later I was passing round the left of a knoll, while Bonny
took the right. Up leaped a steenbok, which ran a hundred yards or so,
and stopped to look at me. I was already off the horse and down in the
Hythe position. A careful aim was again taken. The result was "a
miss!" while the small deer vanished like the smoke of my rifle. So
great is the difference between target-practice and hunting!

It was time now to think of returning for dinner. I was thoroughly lost
by that time in the vast plain--like a ship at sea without a compass.
But Bonny was as knowing in Karroo-craft as a Kentucky hunter is in
wood-craft. He steered as true a course for home as if he had smelt the
leg of mutton that was roasting at the fire. Probably he did--in
imagination! Soon the two ships reappeared on the horizon; our fleet
nags quickly transformed them into the garden and the farm, and in half
an hour we were relating our mild adventure round Hobson's hospitable
board.

"I'm going to visit brother Jonathan after dinner: will you come?" said
my host.

"Yes, with pleasure," said I, "but first, while you have your siesta,
[midday nap], I will go into the opposite field and make that
long-talked-of sketch of your house."

"Very good; I'll send for you when the cart is ready. There a