Page 86 - Adventures in Africa

up the mountains, others dashed forward to our very
feet, and many fell down killed by terror itself* W e

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.
Happily the affrighted deer found an opening,

which, from the excessive steepness of the path, had
been neglected. Through this a considerable number

made their escape, and were soon beyond the reach
of their merciless pursuers *
The natives now began to collect the animals they

had slain, and each man returned in triumph with a
springbok on his shoulders.
We, not to be outdone, each carried one of those

we had shot, and a pretty heavy load it was. I was
thankful when we got back to the camp, where we

cooked a portion of the venison.
A s we might have felt sure, the natives, having
plenty of food, were not at all disposed to move from

the spot, and, indeed, continued feasting the whole of
the next day. On the folio wing, they were so gorged

that they were utterly unable to make any exertion.
Had an enemy been near, and found them in this con­
dition, the whole tribe might have been killed or

carried off into captivity.
W e in the meantime explored the banks of the

river until we found a convenient spot for forming our
raft. In most places the reeds extended so far from
the shore that during the operation we should have

had to stand up to our middles in water among them.