THE WILD ASS OF SO MALI LAND 



117 



behind as the others ran wildly awa3^ 

 The one soon stopped and we ap- 

 proached, keeping him covered in case 

 he attempted to bolt. As we got near he 

 turned and faced us with great gentle 

 eyes. Without the least sign of fear or 

 anger he seemed to wonder why we had 

 harmed him. 



The only wound was from a small 

 bullet high in the neck, merely a flesh 

 wound which would have caused him no 

 serious trouble had he continued with 

 the herd. We walked around him with- 

 in six feet and 1 almost believe we could 

 have put a halter on him. Certainly it 



would have been child's play to have 

 thrown a rope o\'er his head. We 

 reached camp about midnight and I 

 announced that if any more wild asses 

 were wanted, some one else would have 

 to shoot them. I had had quite enough. 

 Normally the ass is one of the wildest 

 of creatures and it is difficult to explain 

 the actions of these two. They appeared 

 not to realize that we were the cause of 

 their injuries but rather seemed to expect 

 relief as we approached — and yet one 

 English "sportsman " boasted of having 

 killed twentv-ei2;ht. 



Young male wild ass. Mounted by Carl E. Akeley in Field Museum, Chicago, 

 from the far African jungle, it is made to "live" for the people of America 



Thus brought 



