XIII FEMALE INYALA SHOT 249 



like my native companions, of course got soaking 

 wet ; and we had to sit shivering in our drenched 

 blankets until daylight, as the heavy rains had put 

 our fires out and we could not get another alight, 

 everything being wet. 



Soon after dawn, however, we managed to get 

 a fire under way, and I then had a cup of warm 

 coffee. Just as the sun was rising I went out into 

 the dripping bush, and returned to camp dry and 

 warm before midday. In spite of what Gugawi had 

 said as to the bush being more open round this camp 

 than near his own kraal, I found but little difference, 

 and should describe all the bush in which I hunted 

 on the Usutu river as dense jungle. In the course 

 of the morning I just caught a glimpse of an inyala — 

 a male evidently by his colour — but failed to get a 

 shot at him. I also saw a large number of the 

 beautiful crested guinea-fowls, which in this district 

 seem to be more numerous than the common South 

 African species. During the heat of the day I re- 

 mained at our bivouac, and, as the sun was intensely 

 hot, managed to thoroughly dry all my belongings, 

 which had got so wet during the previous night's 

 rain. In the evening I again went out into the bush, 

 and just at dusk caught sight of the hind-quarters of 

 an antelope amongst the thick scrub ahead of me. 

 The light was fast failing, and although I felt sure 

 it was an inyala, as there were apparently no other 

 kinds of antelopes in the district, yet I could not 

 in the least tell whether it was a male or female, 

 but, hoping for the best, fired, and saw nothing more. 



On forcing my way through the scrub to where 

 the animal had been when I fired, I found a fine 

 inyala doe lying on the ground, just on the point of 

 death, the bullet having struck her in the left thigh 

 and passed through the whole length of her body 

 into the cavity of the chest. Although disappointed 

 that it was not a male, I skinned her carefully for 



