success was greeted with triumphant shouts by the hunters who had
only just before discovered us. Having drawn the body of the
hippopotamus up to the dry land, the blacks crowded round us, and by
signs and exclamations expressed their admiration of the way in which my
uncle had killed the creature.

We tried to explain that we were very happy to have been of service to
them, and that we should feel obliged, if, in return, they would ferry
us across the river, and guide us to the waggons of the white men who
had encamped not far off.

Leaving the hunters to cut up the hippopotamus, and stow its flesh on
board their canoes, we returned to where we had left Jan and the ox. As
it was getting late, we agreed to remain where we were until the
following day,--in the meantime to try to shoot an antelope or deer of
some sort which would enable us to provide a feast for the natives by
whom we might be visited.

I was fortunate enough, while lying down among some rocks near our camp,
to kill a springbok, one of the most light and elegant of the gazelle
tribe; but its companions, of which it had several, bounded off at so
rapid a rate that I had no chance of killing another. I, therefore,
lifting my prize on my shoulder, returned to camp, where my uncle soon
after arrived, laden with the flesh of a quagga, which, although
belonging to the family of asses, is good food.

Scarcely had we put on some meat to cook, when half a dozen of our
acquaintances arrived. It was satisfactory to find that Jan understood
their language. They appeared to be well-disposed towards us, and our
friendship was cemented by the feast of quagga flesh which we got ready
for them. We ourselves, however, preferred the more delicate meat of
the springbok. We kept some of the meat for our next day's breakfast,
and offered the remainder to our guests, which they quickly stowed away.

They undertook to convey us down the river the following morning in
their canoes, or on a raft, observing that, if we went in the canoes, we
must be separated, as each could carry only one of us. We, therefore,
determined to trust to a raft, such as we ourselves had proposed
building. Our guests retired for a short distance from us, and formed a
camp by themselves for the night.

I awoke about two hours before dawn, when my attention was attracted to
a peculiar noise which I might liken to a low grunting and the tread of
numberless feet. As day broke, I saw the groun