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Hans sat down upon the ground and began to groan； swearing that he would
not go one step farther unless I promised to make the accustomed
offering。
〃Why not； you fool？〃 I asked。
〃Because if you neglect it； baas； I think that we shall stop here for
ever。 Oh！ you may laugh； but I tell you that already you have brought
ill…luck upon yourself。 Remember my words； baas； when you miss two of
the five aasvogels。〃
〃Bosh！〃 I exclaimed； or； rather； its Dutch equivalent。 Still； as this
talk of missing vultures touched me nearly； and it is always as well to
conform to native prejudices； at the next and two subsequent heaps I
cast my stone as humbly as the most superstitious Zulu in the land。
By this time we had reached the summit； which may have been two hundred
yards long。 It was hog…backed in shape； with a kind of depression in
the middle cleared of stones； either by the hand of man or nature； and
not unlike a large circus in its general conformation。
Oh！ the sight that met my eyes。 All about lay the picked and scattered
bones of men and women； many of them broken up by the jaws of hyenas。
Some were quite fresh； for the hair still clung to the skulls； others
blanched and old。 But new or ancient there must have been hundreds of
them。 Moreover； on the sides of the hill it was the same story； though
there； for the most part； the bones had been gathered into gleaming
heaps。 No wonder that the vultures loved Hloma Amabutu； the Place of
Slaughter of the bloody Zulu king。
Of these horrible birds； however； at the moment not one was to be seen。
As there had been no execution for a few hours they were seeking their
food elsewhere。 Now； for my own purposes； I wanted to see them； since
otherwise my visit was in vain； and presently bethought myself of a
method of securing their arrival。
〃Hans；〃 I said； 〃I am going to pretend to kill you； and then you must
lie quite still out there like one dead。 Even if the aasvogels settle
on you； you must lie quite still； so that I may see whence they come and
how they settle。〃
The Hottentot did not take at all kindly to this suggestion。 Indeed； he
flatly refused to obey me； giving sundry good reasons。 He said that
this kind of rehearsal was ill…omened； that coming events have a way of
casting their shadow before； and he did not wish to furnish the event。
He said that the Zulus declared that the sacred aasvogels of Hloma
Amabutu were as savage as lions； and that when once they saw a man down
they would tear him to pieces； dead or living。 In short； Hans and I
came to ail acute difference of opinion。 As for every reason it was
necessary that my view should prevail； however； I did not hesitate to
put matters to him very plainly。
〃Hans；〃 I said； 〃you have to be a bait for vultures； choose if you will
be a live bait or a dead bait；〃 and I cocked the rifle significantly；
although； in truth； the last thing that I wished or intended to do was
to shoot my faithful old Hottentot friend。 But Hans； knowing all I had
at stake； came to a different conclusion。
〃Allemachte！ baas；〃 he said； 〃I understand； and I do not blame you。
Well； if I obey alive； perhaps my guardian Snake〃 （or spirit） 〃will
protect me from the evil omen； and perhaps the aasvogels will not pick
out my eyes。 But if once you send a bullet through my stomachwhy；
then everything is finished； and for Hans it is 'Good night； sleep
well。' I will obey you； baas； and lie where you wish； only； I pray you；
do not forget me and go away； leaving me with those devil birds。〃
I promised him faithfully that I would not。 Then we went through a very
grim little pantomime。 Proceeding to the centre of the arena…like
space； I lifted the gun； and appeared to dash out Hans' brains with its
butt。 He fell upon his back； kicked about a little； and lay still。
This finished Act 1。
Act 2 was that； capering like a brute of a Zulu executioner； I retired
from my victim and hid myself in a bush on the edge of the plateau at a
distance of forty yards。 After this there was a pause。 The place was
intensely bright with sunshine and intensely silent； as silent as the
skeletons of the murdered men about me； as silent as Hans； who lay there
looking so very small and dead in that big theatre where no grass grew。
It was an eerie wait in such surroundings； but at length the curtain
rang up for Act 3。
In the infinite arch of blue above me I perceived a speck； no larger
than a mote of dust。 The aasvogel on watch up there far out of the
range of man's vision had seen the deed； and； by sinking downwards；
signalled it to his companions that were quartering the sky for fifty
miles round； for these birds prey by sight； not by smell。 Down he came
and down； and long before he had reached the neighbourhood of earth
other specks appeared in the distant blue。 Now he was not more than
four or five hundred yards above me； and began to wheel； floating round
the place upon his wide wings； and sinking as he wheeled。 So he sank
softly and slowly until he was about a hundred and fifty feet above
Hans。 Then suddenly he paused； hung quite steady for a few seconds；
shut his wings and fell like a bolt； only opening them again just before
he reached the earth。
Here he settled； tilting forward in that odd way which vultures have；
and scrambling a few awkward paces until he gained his balance。 Then he
froze into immobility； gazing with in awful； stony glare at the
prostrate Hans； who lay within about fifteen feet of him。 Scarcely was
this aasvogel down； when others； summoned from the depths of sky； did as
he had done。 They appeared； they sank； they wheeled； always from east
to west； the way the sun travels。 They hovered for a few seconds； then
fell like stones； pitched on to their beaks； recovered themselves；
waddled forward into line； and sat gazing at Hans。 Soon there was a
great ring of them about him； all immovable； all gazing； all waiting for
something。
Presently that something appeared in the shape of an aasvogel which was
nearly twice as big as any of the others。 This was what the Boers and
the natives call the 〃king vulture；〃 one of which goes with every flock。
He it is who rules the roost and also the carcase； which without his
presence and permission none dare to attack。 Whether this vile fowl is
of a different species from the others； or whether he is a bird of more
vigorous growth and constitution that has outgrown the rest and thus
become their overlord； is more than I can tell。 At least it is certain；
as I can testify from long and constant observation； that almost every
flock of vultures has its king。
When this particular royalty had arrived； the other aasvogels； of which
perhaps there were now fifty or sixty gathered round Hans； began to show
signs of interested animation。 They looked at the king bird； they
looked at Hans； stretching out their naked red necks and winking their
brilliant eyes。 I； however； did not pay particular attention to those
upon the earth； being amply occupied in watching their fellows in the
air。
With delight I observed that the vulture is a very conservative
creature。 They all did what doubtless they have done since the days of
Adam or earlierwheeled； and then hung that little space of time before
they dropped to the ground like lead。 This； then； would be the moment
at which to shoot them； when for four or five seconds they offered
practically a sitting target。 Now； at that distance； always under a
hundred yards； I knew well that I could hit a tea plate every shot； and
a vulture is much larger than a tea plate。 So it seemed to me that；
barring accidents； I had little to fear from the terrible trial of skill
which lay before me。 Again and again I covered the hovering birds with
my rifle； feeling that if I had pressed the trigger I should have
pierced them through。
Thinking it well to practise； I continued this game for a long while；
till at last it came to an unexpected end。 Suddenly I heard a scuffling
sound。 Dropping my glance I saw that the whole mob of aasvogels were
rushing in upon Hans； helping themselves forward by flapping their great
wings； and that about three feet in front of them was their king。 Next
instant Hans vanished； and from the centre of that fluffy； stinking mass
there arose a frightful yell。
As a matter of fact； as I found afterwards； the king vulture had
fastened on to his snub nose； whilst its dreadful companions； having
seized other portions of his frame； were beginning to hang back after
their fashion in order to secure some chosen morsel。 Hans kicked and
screamed； and I rushed in shouting； causing them to rise in a great；
flapping cloud that presently vanished this way and that。 Within a
minute they had all gone； and the Hottentot and I were left alone。
〃That is good；〃 I said。 〃You played well。〃
〃Good！ baas；〃 he answered； 〃and I with two