phants or large game wild, so they must wish for
our land, and some of them come out here to see what sport is."

"There is more in the land we shall hunt in than game," said Hofman;
"and if we are lucky, we shall find it. For, though ivory is valuable,
gold is more so."

"Gold!" exclaimed the hunters in one voice; "what makes you think there
is gold there?"

"About two years ago I met a man at Algoa Bay, who came from the
Faderland. He had come in a ship from Delagoa Bay, and he said that
from Delagoa Bay inland, and to the west, gold was found in the rivers.
He showed me that he had some gold dust, and that this he had bought
from natives. The country about there is very unhealthy, and oxen or
horses don't live well; therefore white men can't go in from there to
find it. He said, too, that the country called Sofala was really Ophir,
and that the Patriarchs got their gold from about there."

"I think, Hofman," said Hans, "if you search for the gold, I will be
content to hunt for elephants. One is certain, the other is risky."

"We are out to hunt elephants, Hans," replied Hofman, "and that is what
we will do; but if we at any time find ourselves near rivers where there
are no elephants, we might look for gold."

"Yes, that might be done," replied Hans, "but my gold shall be skins and
ivory. Hark to the hyenas! how they yell to-night! There is a lion
about, I should fancy."

"A lion or a leopard," replied Victor. "It is very strange how the
weaker animals often club together to defend themselves against a
stronger one. Before I left the borders of the old country, I more than
once saw my cattle beat off a hyena. They would form a circle, and show
a bold front of horns, and run at the hyena if he came near them."

"For that there is nothing equal to a troop of baboons," said Hofman;
"they are as cunning and as wise as men. I have watched them often, and
they set one of their number to watch for enemies; and if he does not do
his duty, the others will beat him. I often amused myself by trying to
stalk near the baboons that lived near me when I was near the
Winterberg, and they never but once were caught asleep. I managed once
to get quite close to them without the sentry seeing me, and then stood
up and ran at them. I was soon sorry I had ventured amongst them, for
they were savage, and so powerful they could have torn me to pieces had
they attacked me; but they at once bit and tore the sentry, who s