nd pulled the heavy boats slowly up the
cataract, hallooing and shouting all the time, as if they wished to
drown the thundering noise of the water, which boiled and hissed
furiously around the rocks on which we stood. In about an hour our
boat, and one or two others, had passed the falls; and we proceeded
merrily on our way, with spirits elevated in proportion to the elevation
of our bodies.

It was here that I killed my first duck; and well do I remember the
feeling of pride with which I contemplated the achievement. That I had
shot her sitting about five yards from the muzzle of my gun, which was
loaded with an enormous charge of shot, is undeniable; but this did not
lessen my exultation a whit. The sparrows I used to kill in days of
yore, with inexpressible delight, grew "small by degrees" and comically
less before the plump inhabitant of the marshes, till they dwindled into
nothing; and the joy and fuss with which I hailed the destruction of the
unfortunate bird can only be compared to, and equalled by, the crowing
and flurry with which a hen is accustomed to announce the production of
her first egg.

During the voyage, we often disturbed large flocks of geese, and
sometimes shot a few. When we chanced to come within sight of them
before they saw us, the boats all put ashore; and L'Esperance, our
guide, went round through the bushes, to the place where they were, and
seldom failed in rendering at least one of the flock _hors de combat_.
At first I would as soon have volunteered to shoot a lion in Africa,
with a Bushman beside me, as have presumed to attempt to kill geese
while L'Esperance was present--so poor an opinion had I of my skill as a
marksman; but, as I became more accustomed to seeing them killed, I
waxed bolder; and at last, one day, having come in sight of a flock, I
begged to be allowed to try my hand. The request was granted;
L'Esperance lent me his gun, and away I went cautiously through the
bushes. After a short walk, I came close to where they were swimming
about in the water; and cocking my gun, I rushed furiously down the
bank, breaking everything before me, and tumbling over half a dozen
fallen trees in my haste, till I cleared the bushes; and then, scarcely
taking time to raise the gun to my shoulder, banged right into the
middle of the flock, just as they were taking wing. All rose; but they
had not gone far when one began to waver a little, and finally sat down
in the water again--a