56 ON AN EAST AFRICAN RANCH [ch. n 



and actually took ten shots to kill him, hitting him no 

 less than seven times. 



Occasionally we drove a ravine or a range of hills by 

 means of beaters. On such occasions all kinds of things 

 were put up. INIost of the beaters, especially if they 

 were M^ild savages impressed for the purpose from some 

 neighbouring tribe, carried throwing-sticks, with which 

 they were very expert, as, indeed, were some of the 

 colonials, like the Hills. Hares, looking and behaving 

 much like small jack-rabbits, were plentiful both on the 

 plains and in the ravines, and dozens of these were 

 knocked over ; while on several occasions I saw franco- 

 lins and spurfowl cut down on tlie wing by a throwing- 

 stick hurled from some unusually dexterous hand. 



The beats, with the noise and laughter of the good- 

 humoured, excitable savages, and the alert interest as 

 to what would turn up next, were great fun ; but the 

 days I enjoyed most were those spent alone with my 

 horse and gun-bearers. We might be off by dawn, and 

 see the tropic sun flame splendid over the brink of the 

 world ; strange creatures rustled through the bush or 

 iied dimly through the long grass, before the light grew 

 bright : and the air was fresh and sweet as it blew in 

 our faces. AVlien the still heat of noon drew near I 

 would stop under a tree, witli my water canteen and 

 my lunch. The men lay in the shade, and the hobl.led 

 pony grazed close by, while 1 either dozed or else 

 watched through my telescope the herds of game lying- 

 down or standing drowsily in the distance. As the 

 shadows lengthened I would again mount, and finally 

 ride homeward as the red sunset paled to amber and 

 opal, and all the vast, mysterious African landscape 

 grew to wonderful beauty in the dying twilight. 



