d to the southward
covered with a dense mass of deer moving slowly and steadily on towards
an opening in a long range of hills to the east. They appeared to be in
no hurry, but continued feeding as they went. I aroused my uncle, who
pronounced them to be springboks, one of which I had shot on the
previous evening migrating for the winter to the northward. They were
beautiful animals, graceful in form, of a light cinnamon red on the
back, fading into white on the under part of the body, a narrow band of
reddish brown separating the two colours. As far as the eye could
reach, the whole country seemed alive with them,--not only the plain but
the hill-side, along which they bounded with graceful leaps.

Our guests on the previous evening had disappeared, but they quickly
came back with a large party of their tribe, and gave us to understand
that they could not escort us down to the river for the present, as they
must set out to attack the springboks, and hoped that we would accompany
them.

This my uncle and I at once agreed to do, and, supplying ourselves with
a good stock of ammunition, we set off with the first party that
started. Our friends led us at a rapid rate over the hills by a short
cut, so that we might intercept the animals, as they passed through the
mountains. Another party, we found, remained behind, to drive them
through, or prevent them turning back when frightened by our presence.
We were only just in time, for already the leaders of the herd had made
their appearance. As we approached the mouth of the gorge, while some
of the hunters rushed up the hills, and stationed themselves on either
side, so as to dart their javelins at the passing deer, others took post
at the mouth of the gorge, thus preventing the egress of the animals,
without coming within range of their weapons.

Now a scene of slaughter commenced such as I have seldom witnessed. The
leaders of the herd turned to retreat, but were met by the party who had
remained on the other side shrieking and shouting, and knocking the
handles of their spears against their shields. Some of the animals
tried to escape up the mountains, others dashed forward to our very
feet, and many fell down killed by terror itself. We shot a few, but
the slaughter seemed so unnecessary that we refrained from again firing,
and would gladly have asked the natives to desist; but while the animals
were in their power, they would evidently have refused to do so.