hs old,--just
the age the hunters desired,--but it soon became evident that there was
something wrong. While continuing its struggle for freedom, they
observed that one of its fore feet was not set on the ground. The leg
was swinging to and fro. It was broken.

The creature was young, bright, and beautiful, but could not be taken to
the Colony. It could never visit Europe. The only favour that could be
shown this suffering, trembling, frightened victim of Groot Willem's
ambition was to put it out of pain by shooting it, and the young hunter
witnessed its death with as much pity and regret as he had felt at the
loss of poor Smoke.

The pit was at length emptied; and the hunters now paused to contemplate
their spoil. Seven giraffes had been destroyed, nearly all of them by
having their necks broken. These, six or seven feet in length, had been
too delicately made to resist the impetus of the heavy herds passing
over them.

Although they had failed in procuring what they wanted, it was not yet
proved that the hopo had been built in vain. It might still be
available for another time. So they were informed by Macora, who said
that, in two or three days, other giraffes might be found in the mimosa
grove, and a second drive could be tried.

This partly reconciled the hunters to the disappointment of the day,
though all felt a strong regret that two of the beautiful creatures,
such as they wished-for, had been driven into the trap only to die.
Many herds might be discovered, without having among them any young,
such as the two now lying dead at their feet. Other young camelopards
might be caught and killed; but many failures must occur before Groot
Willem would relinquish the undertaking for which he had travelled so
far.

The time was not wholly lost to the Makololo, for a supply of food had
been obtained that would take them some time to preserve, and longer to
eat.

The day after the grand hunt, long rheims, suspended on upright poles,
were covered with strings of meat drying in the sun, while all the
bushes and small trees in the vicinity were festooned after the same
fashion. For the dried meat, or _biltongue_, only the best and
favourite portions of each animal were used, and the rest was removed
beyond the encampment, where it formed a banquet for vultures, hyenas,
and other carrion creatures of the earth and air.

Three days after the butchery, all that remained of the slaughtered
animals was the dr