MY SOMALI BOOK 



113 



had used my last long cartridge and had only rook- 

 rifle cartridges left. I was not going to shoot at him 

 with one of these, unless absolutely certain of hitting 

 him in the brain or heart ; it was too dark for that, so 

 he was spared to his family. 



It is an interesting question why antelope will, as 

 I have often noticed, allow one to approach them much 

 closer at dusk or at dawn than in full daylight. When 



— o,. 



•^^■^ 



my ^ 



I asked Abdilleh's opinion, he said that it was because 

 they are keenest on feeding at those times. But this 

 explanation seems to me inadequate. Gerenuh brows- 

 ing half an hour before sunset show no lack of their 

 usual warmess. 



In the present instance they did not seem to be 

 feeding much, they saw me and kept looking at me as 

 they moved leisurely on, yet appeared almost indifferent 

 to my near approach. It may be suggested that it 



