e
hours, and sometimes longer, in lying in ambush, hoping to get a shot at
a passing animal, but their success had hitherto not been sufficient to
supply us with as much meat as we required. Water too was very scarce.
We had been travelling slowly all day, when our cattle began to move on
with greater rapidity than before, evidently believing that water was
near. Donald was riding ahead, looking about him, when suddenly he and
his horse disappeared. I was at no great distance behind him, and
before I could pull up I was very nearly following. I found that he had
slid down into a large sand-well, some twenty feet in diameter at the
top, and upwards of twelve feet in depth. As soon as he was extricated
from the pit, the men were called with spades to clear it out. However,
after digging some time, no water flowed into it, though the bottom
became thoroughly moist. We fortunately had some long reeds with us.
These were sunk into the sand, and immediately water began to rise. We
quickly got enough to quench the thirst of the people, but we had to
wait some time before a supply could be procured for the cattle. As
soon as water had been given to the horses, Timbo set out in search of
game. We were as unfortunate as we had usually been of late. Perhaps
this might have arisen from our want of skill. Donald was an inferior
hunter to Stanley, and had he been well, we should have met with more
success. Timbo was riding near me, when I found him eagerly examining
the sand on one side. Without saying a word he jumped from his horse,
and began scraping away. Presently he produced a huge egg, then
another, and another.

"Dere!" he exclaimed; "we no want food now. See, here are anoder dozen!
Dey eggs of ostrich!"

I looked into the nest, and saw that the eggs were arranged with their
ends uppermost, to occupy, I concluded, as small a space as possible.

"But, Timbo," I said, "do you think they are fresh, for otherwise I fear
they would be of little use?"

"Oh yes," he said; "de hen-ostrich only just laid dem. See! see! dere
she is, too, watching us!"

At that moment a loud roar saluted my ears. Instantly unslinging my
rifle, I prepared to fire, believing that a lion was about to attack us,
so similar was the voice to that of the king of beasts in a rage; but on
looking round I could see no lion, but instead I caught sight, in the
distance, of a huge long-necked bird, which I knew must be an ostrich,
evidently o