IX LECH WE ANTELOPES 167 



and punted for about a mile and a half across some 

 flooded grassy land, where in parts there was barely 

 sufficient water to float the canoe, and we were just 

 approaching some low swampy ground that appeared 

 above the water level, when far to our right one of 

 the natives descried some lechwes, on which the head 

 of the canoe was turned in their direction, and 

 cautiously propelled through the reeds and grass 

 towards them. When near enough to make them out 

 I could see that there were about twenty, all rams, 

 as their long lyre-shaped horns proved (for the ewes 

 of this species are hornless). They were standing 

 up to their bellies in water, but after watching 

 us for a short time, and when we were still 300 

 yards distant, they made for the drier ground, headed 

 by a splendid old ram with a remarkably wicie-set 

 pair of horns, of which I ardently longed to become 

 the possessor. Taking ofl"' my veltschoons, I jumped 

 out of the canoe, and tried to cut them ofi^, by 

 running obliquely towards the same point for which 

 they were heading, and partially succeeded, for as 

 they came bounding along in single file, I managed 

 to get within 200 yards or so of the hindmost, but 

 on firing had the mortification of seeing the mud 

 fly up, short of, and slightly behind him. I, however, 

 loaded and followed them up again, and soon 

 saw other herds dotted about the marsh, like spring- 

 bucks on the open plains of the Transvaal Republic. 

 Yet, despite my utmost efix^rts to stalk or cut them 

 ofl^, often wading waist-deep in water, I found it 

 impossible to get anywhere near them on the bare 

 open marsh, and at last, having fired away the last of 

 the ten bullets 1 had brought with me to no purpose, 

 returned abolit sundown to the canoes, very tired, and 

 with my naked feet very sore and much cut about by 



