Page 15 - Adventures in Africa

upon us. Now was my time. A s it rose, I fired, and

my bullet must have gone through its heart, for over it
rolled without a struggle, perfectly dead,
“ Bravo! Fred/' exclaimed my uncle. “ This is

the second time within a few hours your rifle has done
good sendee. You'll become a first-rate hunter if you

go on as you've begun. How that leopard came here
it's difficult to say, unless it was driven from the hills,
and has been wandering over the desert in search of

p rey; those creatures generally inhabit a high woody
country/'
Jan exhibited great delight at our victory, and

having made up the fire, we spent some time in
skinning the beast. Its fur was of great beauty, and
although it would add to the load of our ox, we

agreed to carry it with us, as it would he a welcome
present to any chief who might render us assistance.

Having flayed the animal and pegged down the
skin, we returned to our beds, hoping to finish the
night without interruption. A s soon as there was

light sufficient to enable us to see our way, we pushed
forward, earnestly praying that before the sun was

high in the heavens, we might fall in with water,
Notwithstanding that Jan repeatedly exclaimed, “ Find
water soon ! Find water soon ! ” not a sign of it

could we see. A glare from a cloudy sky was shed
over the whole sccnc ; clumps of trees and bushes
looking so exactly alike, that after travelling several

miles, we might have fancied that we had made no
progress. A t length even the trees and bushes be­
came scarcer, and what looked like a veritable desert

appeared before us.