they had the corporal in tow, two men and two women captives, and
a spear as a trophy. Then in high impatience, all in a breath,
they began a recital of the great day's work. The corporal had
followed on the spoor of the mule, occasionally finding some of
his things that had been torn from the beast's back by the
thorns, and, picking up these one by one, had become so burdened
with the weight of them, that he could follow no farther. In
this fix the twenty men came up with him, but not until they had
had a scrimmage with the "savages," had secured four, and taken
the spear which had been thrown at them. Of the mule's position
no one could give an opinion, save that they imagined, in
consequence of the thickness of the bush, he would soon become
irretrievably entangled in the thicket, where the savages would
find him, and bring him in as a ransom for the prisoners.

What with the diminution of our supplies, the famished state of
the country, and the difficulties which frowned upon us in
advance, together with unwillingness to give up so good a mule,
with all its gear and ammunition, I must say I felt doubtful as
to what had better be done, until the corporal, who felt
confident he would find the beast, begged so hard that I sent him
in command of another expedition of sixteen men, ordering him to
take one of the prisoners with him to proclaim to his brethren
that we would give up the rest if they returned us the mule. The
corporal then led off his band to the spot where he last saw
traces of the animal, and tracked on till sundown; while Grant
and myself went out pot-hunting and brought home a bag consisting
of one striped eland, one saltiana antelope, four guinea-fowl,
four ringdoves, and one partridge--a welcome supply, considering
we were quite out of flesh.