Page 39 - Adventures in Africa

odour when it putrifies, which it will in a few hours,”
lie observed. u But I am afraid that it will attract

the hyaenas arid jackals in no small numbers, so tliat
we shall be annoyed by their howls and screechings*
I am sorry to say also that the horses seem ill able to

perform their work, and I greatly fear that they have
been injured by the tsetse fly. If we lose them we
shall have a difficulty in getting along. However, we

won't despair until the evil day comes.1’
I should have said that my uncle, just before he
rescued Jan from the hippopotamus, had shot another

antelope, which lie had brought to the camp, so that
we were in no want of food.
Several days went by. Though I certainly was not
worse, my recovery was very slow, and I was scarcely

better able to travel than I was at first; though I
told my uncle that I would try and ride if he wished
to move on.

“ I doubt if either of the horses can cany you/' he
answered. £f Both are getting thin and weak, and
have a running from their nostrils, which Jan says is

the result of the tsetse poison. If you are better in a day
or two we will try and advance to the next stream or

water-hole; and perhaps we may fall in with natives,
from whom we may purchase some oxen to replace
our horses. It will be a great disappointment to lose
the animals, for I had counted on them for hunting/1

That night we were entertained by a concert of
hideous bowlings and cries, produced we had no

doubt by the hyenas and jackals; but by keeping
up a good fire, and occasionally discharging our rifles,
we prevented them from approaching the camp.