A delighted shout issued from the throats of the hunters, as, swarming forward, they repossessed themselves of their weapons, then proceeded to place on the animal's tusks the mark of their owner, who, by hunters' rules, was the one who had inflicted the first wound, after which they cut off its tail, that being, like the fox's brush in England, considered a great trophy. Seeing no reason why I should remain longer in my private box, as it were, the drama having come to an end, I made haste to descend; but whether it was through being incommoded with the spears I carried, or from some other reason, certain it is that I had not got more than half-way down, when I fell--fell, as ill luck would have it, right into the extended branches of a hook plant. Instantly aware of my danger, I strove to free myself; but quickly found that what Mr Ferguson had said was true--that the more one tried to clear themselves, the more entangled they would get. The plant seemed endowed with life, and with its fingers fastened closer and closer about me at the least move; therefore I wisely remained motionless, only exerting my voice, which I did to the top of my lungs. For some while no heed was paid to me, all the Kaffirs being too busily engaged with their prize; but after about a quarter of an hour, as far as I could judge, Tugela came to ascertain the cause of my shouting. On perceiving the fix I was in, he burst into a fit of laughter, for the Kaffir dearly loves fun, or anything verging on a joke. Seeing nothing I could do better, I joined him, till his face growing rather more serious, I put the question as to how I was to get free. There was but one method. Like the sheep in the fable, which got into a thorn bush to shelter itself from the storm, to quit it I was compelled to leave my fleece, or clothes, behind me. This, considering the state they were in, I found but little difficulty in doing, and when once extricated, with Tugela's help, I managed to recover my rags by cutting them from the thorns. On donning them, however, I became aware that I should very speedily have to adopt the native dress entirely unless I intended to go without any costume, at all. This was the first time I had come in close contact with the unfriendly grasp of the hook plant, but, I am sorry to say, it was not the last. I shall have to recount a similar event farther on, when I was not so fortunate in getting so speedily extricated, but really believed that, after all my hair-breadth escapes, death had seized me indeed. But to return to the hunting party.