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never watched anything before； for to them this was a new excitement。
Then I fixed my eyes upon the bird。
Its last circle was accomplished。 Before it pounced it hung on wide；
outstretched wings； as the others had done； its head towards me。 I drew
a deep breath； lifted the rifle； got the foresight dead upon its breast；
and touched the hair…trigger。 As the charge exploded I saw the aasvogel
give a kind of backward twist。 Next instant I heard a loud clap； and a
surge of joy went through me； for I thought that the bullet had found
its billet。 But alas！ it was not so。
The clap was that of the air disturbed by the passing of the ball and
the striking of this air against the stiff feathers of the wings。
Anyone who has shot at great birds on the wing with a bullet will be
acquainted with the sound。 Instead of falling the vulture recovered
itself。 Not knowing the meaning of this unaccustomed noise； it dropped
quietly to earth and sat down near the bodies； pitching forward in the
natural way and running a few paces； as the others had done that
afternoon。 Evidently it was quite unhurt。
〃Missed！〃 gasped Hans as he grasped the rifle to load it。 〃Oh！ why did
you not throw a stone on to the first heap？〃
I gave Hans a look that must have frightened him； at any rate； he spoke
no more。 From the Boers went up a low groan。 Then they began to pray
harder than ever； while the Zulus clustered round the king and whispered
to him。 I learned afterwards that he was giving heavy odds against me；
ten to one in cattle； which they were obliged to take； unwillingly
enough。
Hans finished loading； capped and cocked the rifle； and handed it to me。
By now other vultures were appearing。 Being desperately anxious to get
the thing over one way or another； at the proper moment I took the first
of them。 Again I covered it dead and pressed。 Again as the gun
exploded I saw that backward lurch of the bird； and heard the clap of
the air upon its wings。 Thenoh horror！this aasvogel turned quietly；
and began to mount the ladder of the sky in the same fashion as it had
descended。 I had missed once more。
〃The second heap of stones has done this； baas；〃 said Hans faintly； and
this time I did not even look him。 I only sat down and buried my face
in my hands。 One more such miss； and then
Hans began to whisper to me。
〃Baas；〃 he said； 〃those aasvogels see the flash of the gun； and shy at
it like a horse。 Baas； you are shooting into their faces； for they all
hang with their beaks toward you before they drop。 You must get behind
them； and fire into their tails； for even an aasvogel cannot see with
its tail。〃
I let fall my hands and stared at him。 Surely the poor fellow had been
inspired from on high！ I understood it all now。 While their beaks were
towards me； I might fire at fifty vultures and never hit one； for each
time they would swerve from the flash； causing the bullet to miss them；
though but by a little。
〃Come；〃 I gasped； and began to walk quickly round the edge of the
depression to a rock； which I saw opposite about a hundred yards away。
My journey took me near the Zulus； who mocked me as I passed； asking
where my magic was； and if I wished to see the white people killed
presently。 Dingaan was now offering odds of fifty cattle to one against
me； but no one would take the bet even with the king。
I made no answer； no； not even when they asked me 〃if I had thrown down
my spear and was running away。〃 Grimly； despairingly； I marched on to
the rock； and took shelter behind it with Hans。 The Boers； I saw； were
still upon their knees； but seemed to have ceased praying。 The children
were weeping； the men stared at each other； Vrouw Prinsloo had her arm
about Marie's waist。 Waiting there behind the rock； my courage returned
to me； as it sometimes does in the last extremity。 I remembered my
dream and took comfort。 Surely God would not be so cruel as to suffer
me to fail and thereby bring all those poor people to their deaths。
Snatching the rifle from Hans； I loaded it myself； nothing must be
trusted to another。 As I put on the cap a vulture made its last circle。
It hung in the air just as the others had done； and oh！ its tail was
towards me。 I lifted； I aimed between the gathered…up legs； I pressed
and shut my eyes； for I did not dare to look。
I heard the bullet strike； or seem to strike； and a few seconds later I
heard something elsethe noise of a heavy thud upon the ground。 I
looked； and there with outstretched wings lay the foul bird dead； stone
dead； eight or ten paces from the bodies。
〃Allemachte！ that's better；〃 said Hans。 〃You threw stones on to _all_
the other heaps； didn't you； baas？〃
The Zulus grew excited； and the odds went down a little。 The Boers
stretched out their white faces and stared at me； I saw them out of the
corner of my eye as I loaded again。 Another vulture came； seeing one of
its companions on the ground； if in a somewhat unnatural attitude；
perhaps it thought that there could be nothing to fear。 I leaned
against my rock； aimed； and fired； almost carelessly； so sure was I of
the result。 This time I did not shut my eyes； but watched to see what
happened。
The bullet struck the bird between its thighs； raked it from end to end；
and down it came like a stone almost upon the top of its fellow。
〃Good； good！〃 said Hans with a guttural chuckle of delight。 〃Now； baas；
make no mistake with the third； and 'als sall recht kommen' （all shall
be well）。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃_if_ I make no mistake with the third。〃
I loaded the rifle again myself； being very careful to ram down the
powder well and to select a bullet that fitted perfectly true to the
bore。 Moreover； I cleared the nipple with a thorn； and shook a little
fine powder into it； so as to obviate any chance of a miss…fire。 Then I
set on the cap and waited。 What was going on among the Boers or the
Zulus I do not know。 In this last crisis of all our fates I never
looked； being too intent upon my own part in the drama。
By now the vultures appeared to have realised that something unusual was
in progress； which threatened danger to them。 At any rate； although by
this time they had collected in hundreds from east； west； north； and
south； and were wheeling the heavens above in their vast； majestic
circles； none of them seemed to care to descend to prey upon the bodies。
I watched； and saw that among their number was that great king bird
which had bitten Hans in the face； it was easy to distinguish him；
because he was so much larger than the others。 Also； he had some white
at the tips of his wings。 I observed that certain of his company drew
near to him in the skies； where they hung together in a knot； as though
in consultation。
They separated out again； and the king began to descend； deputed
probably to spy out the land。 Down he came in ever…narrowing turns；
till he reached the