, putting another piece of
elephant-steak upon Swinton's plate, "pray don't entertain the idea that
I want you to talk on purpose that I may eat your share and my own too;
only ascribe my impatience to the true cause--the delight I have in
receiving instruction and amusement from you."

"Well, Swinton, you have extorted a compliment from the Major."

"Yes, and an extra allowance of steak, which is a better thing," replied
Swinton, laughing. "Now I have finished my breakfast, I will tell what
I know about Omrah's people.

"The Bushmen are originally a Hottentot race--of that I think there is
little doubt; but I believe they are a race of people produced by
circumstances, if I may use the expression. The Hottentot on the plains
lives a nomad life, pasturing and living upon his herds. The Bushman
may be considered as the Hottentot driven out of his fertile plains,
deprived of his cattle, and compelled to resort to the hills for his
safety and subsistence--in short, a Hill Hottentot: impelled by hunger
and by injuries he has committed depredations upon the property of
others until he has had a mark set upon him; his hand has been against
every man, and he has been hunted like a wild beast, and compelled to
hide himself in the caves of almost inaccessible rocks and hills.

"Thus, generation after generation, he has suffered privation and
hunger, till the race has dwindled down to the small size which it is at
present. Unable to contend against force, his only weapons have been
his cunning and his poisoned arrows, and with them he has obtained his
livelihood--or rather, it may be said, has contrived to support life,
and no more. There are, however, many races mixed up with the Bushmen;
for run-away slaves, brought from Madagascar, Malaya, and even those of
the mixed white breed, when they have committed murder or other penal
crimes have added to the race and incorporated themselves with them;
they are called the Children of the Desert, and they are literally
such."

"Have you seen much of them?"

"Yes, when I was in the Namaqua-land and in the Bechuana territory I saw
a great deal of them. I do not think that they are insensible to
kindness, and moreover, I believe that they may often be trusted; but
you run a great risk."

"Have they ever shown any gratitude?"

"Yes; when I have killed game for them, they have followed me on purpose
to show me the pools of water, without which we should have suffered
severely