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.