Big Game Shooting 



This was most satisfactory work, as he was 

 a very nice bull indeed, with a great spread of 

 horn ; besides which it was very early in the day, 

 and I had begun well, and so was much pleased. 

 I thought I would wait for a moment for the end 

 of the drive, and in case anything else broke 

 cover from close by — and as it turned out it was 

 a most lucky thing that I did not kill him under 

 the perch, as I should have been down ten minutes 

 later admiring and measuring the brute — when 

 sure enough six more rolled out from the same 

 bushes. 



It was a most extraordinary thing, as the bang- 

 ing of a '400 cordite makes a fearful row, and I 

 had had five shots — all getting home, as I found 

 later. Whether they tried to mystify us by 

 coming out unexpectedly and in small parties 

 I don't know, but they certainly executed a 

 masterly retirement, only, unfortunately for them, 

 they were badly mauled in so doing. 



Well, one of this second batch retreated into 

 the swamp with three bullets in him. I wanted 

 to make certain of another and try and kill him 

 in full view ; and so I suppose I was far too 

 excited to take real good aim, and, in fact, lost my 

 head a bit. 



Then I made up my mind that that was abso- 

 lutely the last we should set eyes on, but luckily 

 again sat tight, till ten minutes later three came 

 back out of the swamp across a tongue of grass, 



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