190 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
I was about to fire, when I perceived that both barrels 
of my rifle were plugged with mud. It took some time 
to clear the barrels, Karsha mentioning something about 
“home, sweet home,” the whole time. Walking up now 
to within forty yards of the gazelles, I took as steady aim 
as I could at one of the animals and fired, and had the 
satisfaction of seeing him fall over in the mud. But what 
was my disappointment when I rushed up and found that 
the animal that had given me so much trouble was a 
Thompson’s gazelle, and nothing new at all! I was 
now only too glad to listen to Karsha’s pleadings, and 
made straight for camp, which we reached without fur- 
ther mishap. 
We remained at this spot, Edgehr, two days more, partly 
on account of the heavy rains, and partly to see if we could 
not make friends with the natives. 
On the second day I took Karsha and another boy with 
me to try for some more Thompson’s gazelles ; but the ani- 
mals were so shy that they led mea long chase. I sawa 
fine buck walking slowly along, five hundred yards from 
me, and after some time managed to stalk to within a hun- 
dred yards of him; but the beast suddenly caught sight 
of me, and was off, the two shots I fired not taking effect. 
My hunting ardor was thoroughly aroused, and I kept on 
and on after the same beast till I was much farther 
from the camp than I had anticipated, when I finally man- 
aged to get another shot at the “hiddi,” as the Gallas 
call the animals. 
The gazelle was standinga hundred and fifty yards off when 
I fired, but I heard a distinct “ plunk” as the bullet struck 
him, and down dropped my buck, to my great satisfaction, 
as he had given me such a long chase; and a fine speci- 
men he was, standing thirty-six inches at the shoulder, and 
with horns twenty-four inches in length. Again I was to 
