exercise to the performers.

It must not be supposed, however, that the energies of the whole picnic
were concentrated on polo. The party, as I have said, had broken up
into groups, one of which played hide-and-seek among the bushes on the
knoll, while another engaged in a game which involved sitting in a
circle, changing places, frequent collisions, constant mistakes on the
part of the ignorant, and shouts of laughter, with rectifying advice on
the part of the knowing.

All this time the sun was glowing as only a South African summer sun can
glow, in a cloudless sky, and it was not until that sun had become red
in the face, and sunk far down into the west, that the panting, but far
from exhausted revellers saddled up and inspanned, and began to quit the
scene.

Then it was, as my friend and I stood on the bush-topped knoll, that the
magnificence of our picnic fully impressed us, for, as we surveyed the
long line of riders, and trundling carts, and gigs, and carriages, and
heavy Cape wagons with their creeping teams winding over the plain, the
head of the column was seen almost on the horizon before the rear-guard
had left the scene of our festivities. This was altogether one of the
pleasantest days I had spent in the colony; the people were so hearty
and vigorous, so varied in appearance, character, and age, so full of
life and fun and good-will.

But it is not always in the sunshine that the good people of Salem enjoy
themselves. The hunters among them occasionally go out shooting at
night with the aid of a dark lantern, and the wretched creature which
they pursue on such occasions is called a spring-hare. It seems a
mixture of the hare and the kangaroo--its size and aspect being those of
the former animal, while its long hind-legs and its action in springing
resemble the latter. In running it does not use its fore legs, but
bounds like the kangaroo.

Never having engaged in night-sporting--save in dreams--I agreed to
accompany two Salem Nimrods on a hunt after spring-hares.

We went into the fields. That is all I can vouch for. It happened to
be so dark that we might as well have been groping about in a coal-pit.
My companions, however, knew the ground, which was fortunate, for
walking over a rugged surface in the dark is not only confusing, but
trying to the nerves, to say nothing of the temper. I followed
faithfully and "close to heel," like a well-trained dog.

"This way, Sir; mind the ditch."