Part 33 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXV
”Well, what sport have you had?” inton's first question when he was joined by Alexander and the Major Replied the latter--”Pretty well;an antelope quite new to us, which we tried very hard to shoot, but were prevented by an unexpected ave an account of his perceiving the tail of the lioness, and his rapid retreat
”I alad to hear that you were so prudent, Major; it would have been a very rash thing to attack a lioness with only three guns So the antelopes escaped?”
”Yes, but we have the elands, which you say are such good eating Do we stay here any longer, or do we proceed up the river?”
”You must ask Wilmot to decide that point,” said Swinton
”It is just as you please,” said Alexander; ”but they say that the airaffe,” said the Major, ”which is now the great object of my ambition I have killed the rhinoceros and elephant, and now I iraffe; they can kill the two first animals in India, but the other is only to be had in this country”
”And when you ain your Indian friends, you wish to say that you have killed what they have not?”
”Certainly; what is the good of traveling so far, if one has not so to boast of when one returns? If I say I have hunted and killed the rhinoceros and elephant, they iraffe, that will silence them; don't you observe, Swinton, I then remain ame; come, Swinton, leave your preparations for a little while, and see what our 's sport has been”
Swinton put aside the skin of the sassaby that he was cleaning, and walked with them to where the men were assembled, and was not a little surprised when he saw the skins and jaws of the lion and lioness He was still more so when the Major recounted how they had been shot
”You certainly have run a great risk,” said he, ”and I aht in saying that I should have persuaded you not to attee of the absence of their tutor to run into lad that it has been done, as I now hope your desire to kill a lion will not again lead you into unnecessary danger”
”No, indeed,” replied Alexander; ”having once accoreat risk that is run, we shall be more prudent in future”
”That is all I ask of you,” said Swinton, ”for I should be unhappy if we did not all three return safe to the Cape I never saw a finer lion's skin: I will arrange it for you, that it shall arrive at the Cape in good order”
As usual, the afternoon was by the Hottentots devoted to eating as et down their throats; the flesh of the eland was pronounced excellent by our travelers, and there was much more than they could possibly consu a certain quantity into the caht not attract the wild beasts They would have brought it all in, although they never could have eaten it The cattle were driven up in the evening, the fires lighted, and the night passed quietly away
At daylight they turned the cattle out to graze for a couple of hours, and then yoked and proceeded on their journey, keeping as near as they could to the banks of the river They sawfor a moment above the water, but they passed by the to shoot at theame As they advanced, the variety of flohich were in bloom attracted the notice of Alexander, who observed--”Does not this plain put you in ay with every variety of color?”
”Yes, and as scentless,” replied the Major; ”they are all very brilliant in appearance; but one lish violet is, to ree with you,” replied Swinton; ”but still you e that this country is beautiful beyond description,--these grassy led with nurove and forest! Look at these aloes blooland ould they pay for such an exhibition?--and the criether: neither are you just in saying that there is no scent in this gay parterre The creepers which twine up those stately trees are very sweetly scented; and how picturesque are the twinings of those vines upon the arden of Eden to have been more beautiful”
”And in another respect there is a rese; ”the serpent is in it”
”Yes, I grant that,” replied Swinton
”Well, I can feel no real pleasure without security; if I a my eyes in every direction, that I may not tread upon a puff adder, or avoid the dart of the cobra capella, I can feel little pleasure in looking at the rich hues of those flohich conceal theland, which I can pick and sree with you, Major,” said Alexander; ”but,” continued he, laughing, ”we must make allowance for Swinton, as a naturalist A puff adder has a charm for him, because it adds one more to the numerous specimens to be obtained; and he looks upon these flowers as a botanist, rejoicing as he adds to his herbal, or gathers seeds and bulbs to load his wagon with Youin a rich harvest”
”Or with hihted at the number and the variety of the ani
”There I have you, Major”
”I grant it,” replied the Major; ”but what is that in the river--the back of a hippopotamus?”