fullest splendour, throwing a robe of silver light over all the earth.
I have rarely seen a more beautiful moonrise. I remember that sitting in
the skerm I could with ease read faint pencil notes in my pocket-book.
As soon as the moon was up game began to trek down to the water just
below us. I could, from where I sat, see all sorts of them passing
along a little ridge that ran to our right, on their way to the drinking
place. Indeed, one buck--a large eland--came within twenty yards of the
skerm, and stood at gaze, staring at it suspiciously, his beautiful
head and twisted horns standing out clearly against the sky. I had, I
recollect, every mind to have a pull at him on the chance of providing
ourselves with a good supply of beef; but remembering that we had but
two cartridges left, and the extreme uncertainty of a shot by moonlight,
I at length decided to refrain. The eland presently moved on to the
water, and a minute or two afterwards there arose a great sound of
splashing, followed by the quick fall of galloping hoofs.

"'What's that, Mashune?' I asked.

"'That dam lion; buck smell him,' replied the Zulu in English, of which
he had a very superficial knowledge.

"Scarcely were the words out of his mouth before we heard a sort of
whine over the other side of the pool, which was instantly answered by a
loud coughing roar close to us.

"'By Jove!' I said, 'there are two of them. They have lost the buck; we
must look out they don't catch us.' And again we made up the fire, and
shouted, with the result that the lions moved off.

"'Mashune,' I said, 'do you watch till the moon gets over that tree,