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Updated: April 30, 2025
They had collected more than seven hundred pounds' weight of the finest ivory, but this success did not hinder them from becoming weary of a pursuit that was no longer amusement, but business. From several conversations held with Macora about giraffes, they had learnt that the young of those animals could not be taken alive without the greatest ingenuity and trouble.
By this means had Macora and his people maintained their independence for several years, and the same method must be resorted to again. This was the decision arrived at; and, on reaching his own kraal, Macora at once put the design into execution.
It had not pursued Macora or his attendants, as its solicitude was for its young, and the dogs were now running in the direction where these were concealed. At sight of Groot Willem, the leopard desisted from its pursuit of the dogs; and, crouching low upon the ground, crawled towards him, not slowly, but with a speed only checked by instinctive caution.
The creature in pursuit of the dogs, and which had caused the flight of Macora and his attendants, was a large leopard. It was a female, and rapidly there passed through the hunter's mind a conjecture of the circumstances under which the animal was acting. It had left its young in its forest lair, and had been on a visit to the river for water or food.
A suitable place for the trap, Macora remembered having seen, a few miles down the river; and thither they repaired. On the way, they passed the ruins of the deserted village, and many of the natives recognised amid the heaps of rubbish the places that had once been their homes. Five miles farther down, they reached the place which was to be enclosed as a hopo.
Sindo was to be shot with his own musket. The executioner had been already appointed, and all other arrangements made for carrying out the decree, when Willem, advancing towards Macora, commenced interceding for his life.
So they were informed by Macora, who said that, in two or three days, other giraffes might be found in the mimosa grove, and a second drive could be tried. This partly reconciled the hunters to the disappointment of the day, though all felt a strong regret that two of the beautiful creatures, such as they wished-for, had been driven into the trap only to die.
Our hunters became anxious to ascertain for what reason all these precautions were being taken; and with Congo's assistance, they made inquiry. The explanation Macora condescended to give was, that Moselekatse's warriors never slept till they had accomplished their purpose. They would certainly not relinquish the pursuit without a greater defeat than they had yet sustained.
They were attended by some Kaffirs who had accompanied them from Natal, and also a number of natives they had picked up in the north. While our adventurers were trying to obtain from them a supply of ammunition and such other things as they stood in need of, their attention was called to Macora, by seeing that individual behaving somewhat after the manner of a mad man.
They had reached a land that gave good promise of the very adventures they were in search of. About five miles from the village they came upon a small open space thickly covered with grass. Here Macora suggested that they should make their hunting camp, as the thick growth of timber seen farther down the river was the resort of every species of game to be found for many miles around.
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