noon
they were only black antelope , interesting creatures enough from the mere sportsman 's point of view , but not what he wanted and hoped to see . He lowered the glasses with a sigh of resignation , which said as plainly as words , that he supposed it was too much to hope that they would be lucky enough to find instantly what they were in search of . And while they stood chatting together the ladies and little Ida stepped out on deck and joined them ; and then there were renewed exclamations of wonder and delight at the change from the desert scenery upon which they had gazed the day before , and for so many days previously that they had begun to tire of it slightly . The air was rapidly becoming heated under the rays of a sun that would be very nearly vertical at noon ; at Mildmay 's suggestion , therefore , the men of the party busied themselves forthwith in spreading the awnings fore and aft , that the ladies might have a welcome shade under which to sit during the day , and while they were still tying the last lanyards the breakfast-gong sounded , and five minutes later the entire party was gathered round the breakfast-table in a condition of exuberantly buoyant spirits . No one felt disposed to linger long over the meal that morning , and within half an hour everybody was again on deck , each provided with a pair of binoculars , while the men folk -- attired in stalking suits of thin but tough grey-green tweed , consisting of Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers , with caps of the same material , and shod with stout boots , surmounted by thick leather gaiters reaching to the knee , as a protection against possible snake-bites -- had taken the precaution to bring up their rifles and bandoliers with them , in order that they might be ready for any emergency . Their first act was to sweep the entire visible surface of the country with their glasses ; but nothing more interesting than a few bunches of deer and antelope were to be seen . This , however , was not to be very greatly wondered at , for the ground was so heavily encumbered with bush that comparatively little of it was to be seen .