Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



time at our disposal before, the antelopes would 

 appear from behind the line of bush which 

 separated us from them. However, I declined 

 to yield, for as their usually quick eyesight had 

 failed them and given us that advantage, I felt it 

 would be flying in the face of Providence to 

 attempt another move. 



We had only a bare three minutes in which to 

 recover our loss of breath when they turned up, 

 with — as good luck would have it — the big buck 

 well in front, sloping along with his head hung 

 down, seemingly tired of life and quite uncon- 

 scious of our presence. From the sitting posture 

 we had assumed on arrival, bang ! went my 

 friend's rifle, and down tumbled the buck plumb 

 on the spot. The remainder of the herd stood 

 stupidly staring for a second or two whilst we 

 strode up to photograph the animal, and gloat 

 over a fine head which would eventually adorn 

 his baronial halls. This was foolish behaviour 

 on the part of the antelope, as another bit the 

 dust before it occurred to them that we were 

 dangerous, and that it was high time for them to 

 make themselves scarce. 



It's good business, you know, to successfully 

 circumvent a wily denizen of the jungle at his own 

 game of woodcraft, be he man or beast, be he 

 insignificant of stature or the mightiest of animals 

 that roams at pleasure — the monarch of all he 

 surveys. There was high revelry on the good 



150 



