ld have felt more confidence, for to him
the saddle was the natural condition, whilst pedestrianism had not so
much been practised. Being, however, young and muscular, and prepared
by his late hardships for an active life, he was not a very easy prey to
his pursuers. He, however, found himself losing ground rapidly, and
therefore that it was necessary to put in practice some scheme in order
to save himself by his head, if he could not do so by his heels.

The ground over which he had run was grassy, and thus easily took an
impression, so that, even had Hans not known that he could be seen by
his pursuers, he would have known that any attempt at concealment would
have been fruitless, as his traces would show where he had gone. He ran
on, therefore, with all the speed he could until he entered the ravine,
which led eventually down to the Tugela, and he then tried an expedient
which he believed would throw off his pursuers, at least for a time.
Having found a hard piece of stony ground, on which a footprint was
scarcely visible, and finding that he could not be seen by his pursuers,
he left one or two distinct impressions of his foot on the mole-hills,
and then retracing his steps for about fifty yards, he trod carefully on
large stones or hard ground, so as to leave no traces, and then took a
direction at right angles to that he had formerly adopted. The country
was here sprinkled with low thorn-bushes, and was rocky and gravelly, so
that footprints were not so easily seen and followed as in more open
grassy country. Hans having thus endeavoured to throw his pursuers out,
stopped for a few minutes in order to regain his breath, and to listen
to his enemies' proceedings.

The Zulus came straggling on, eager to overtake their victim, and hoping
soon to do so, for they had noticed the want of firmness in Hans' step,
and concluded he was like some of their fat men, unable to run far or
fast. Noting here and there a footprint which served to show them they
were on the right track, the Zulus dashed down the ravine and beyond
where Hans had turned and retraced his steps. The whole party had gone
nearly two hundred yards onwards before the leaders halted in
consequence of finding no spoor; they then spread out in various
directions endeavouring to find some sign. Fortunately one of the
footprints of Hans had been half concealed by that of a Zulu, who had
trodden on the same soft place, and this having been observed, the