ot at them. During the day they were wary,
and either hid themselves in caves of the cliff or in the burrows of the
ant-eater. At night they were bold enough, and came into the very camp;
but then the darkness hindered a good aim, and the hunters knew too well
the value of powder and lead to waste it on a chance shot, though now
and then, when provoked by the brutes, they ventured one.

But some way must be thought of to thin the numbers of these animals, or
get rid of them altogether. This was the opinion of everybody.

Two or three kinds of traps were tried, but without much success. A pit
they could leap out of, and from a noose they could free themselves by
cutting the rope with their sharp teeth!

At length the field-cornet resorted to a plan--much practised by the
boors of Southern Africa for ridding their farms of these and similar
vermin. It was the "gun-trap."

Now there are several ways of constructing a gun-trap. Of course a gun
is the principal part of the mechanism, and the trigger pulled by a
string is the main point of the contrivance. In some countries the bait
is tied to the string, and the animal on seizing the bait tightens the
string, draws the trigger, and shoots itself. In this way, however,
there is always some uncertainty as to the result. The animal may not
place its body in the proper position with regard to the muzzle, and may
either escape the shot altogether, or may be only "creased," and of
course get off.

The mode of setting the "gun-trap" in South Africa is a superior plan;
and the creature that is so unfortunate as to draw the trigger rarely
escapes, but is either killed upon the spot, or so badly wounded as to
prevent its getting away.

Von Bloom constructed his trap after the approved fashion, as follows:--
Near the camp he selected a spot where three saplings or young trees
grew, standing in a line, and about a yard between each two of them.
Had he not found three trees so disposed, stakes firmly driven into the
ground would have answered his purpose equally well.

Thorn-bushes were now cut, and a kraal built in the usual manner--that
is, with the tops of the bushes turned outwards. The size of the kraal
was a matter of no consequence; and, of course, to save labour, a small
one was constructed.

One point, however, was observed in making the kraal. Its door or
opening was placed so that two of the three saplings stood like posts,
one on each side of it; and an an