only that night’s supper, but food for the next two
days. Our supplies of grain frequently ran out in
camp, but the sportsman need never starve in the
country we passed through; for although we could
not always find large game, there were sparrows,
doves, or guinea-fowl to be had; while persons who do
not sport may take note of the herbs gathered by the
natives, and live upon them at a pinch. The spirit of
our men sank, and a deep, gloomy silence hung over
camp, when we had no grain, and continuous days of
bad sport with our rifles. Not a man would obey
orders; they refused to march, and discipline had to
be upheld in several instances by inflicting corporal
punishment for the crime of stealing cloth to buy food.
One Seedee, a powerful fellow, roared for mercy during
the flogging, and disclosed to us who had been his
accomplice in the theft. He was therefore excused
the third dozen of lashes, and carried away bound, to
be expelled from camp next morning.
We foraged zealously for the camp, and succeeded
in giving to every one a little meat. The black rhinoceros
would rarely charge, even though he saw us
standing close to him ; but they always afford considerable
excitement by the feints they make, and by
their deep hoarse grunt. Their ears were often tom
and their tails mutilated, apparently in consequence
of their fighting with each other. Our whole camp
ate heartily of the rhinoceros; but the flesh, though
sweet, requires very sharp teeth. Their young would
seem to have great affection. Wounding a large female
one night, I next day traced her spoor for four miles,
and suddenly came on her squatting like a hare in her
form, with her back towards me. There was a great
deal of whining or puling near the spot, which I took
to be her dying cries. Advancing cautiously, a different
rhinoceros cocked its ears at me, and I felt for an
instant at a loss which to fire a t : both barrels from
“ Blanshard f went at my new young friend, who rushed
off crashing through the underwood, and I only then
saw that the poor old lady was cold dead, and she
proved so heavy that three of us could not move her.
It was the young one weeping over its mother that
caused the plaintive cries I had heard.
Zebras seen cantering in open forests of bare-poled
trees without a vestige of underwood, form a beautiful
sight; they can be stalked very easily, and, unless
made aware of danger by antelopes feeding with them,
they will turn round and stare at you, some even advancing
a few paces, like the wild horse of Thibet.
When I first heard the cry of the zebra I took it
for the call of a bird, with a little of the donkey at
the end; but, listening for some time, and seeing the
animal, I would describe it as a half-bray, or cross
between a foal’s and a donkey’s call. They are perfect
in symmetry, and barred jet black to the very hoofs,
which are large, wide, and well cared-for by nature’s
farrier, the grass in the forest. Two of our Tots
would not eat them because they had never eaten
horse-flesh; but everyone else was glad to get “ five-
year-olds,” or even “ aged” ones, though of all wild
animals I considered it the worst food, tasting so very
strong. After the tongue or any portion of the meat
had been boiled, it smelt of a stable, and caused
instant disgust and nausea. Cut in long stripes, sun-
dried, and toasted in ashes, was the only way of making
the zebra flesh lose this flavour. Had we had any