Hunting at High Altitudes 



The letchwi, however, were easy enough to get, 

 for as soon as they were frightened they would 

 string out in a long line, crossing in front of the 

 horse at almost right angles, so we would gallop 

 at the leader, jump off and shoot. This habit 

 comes from the Mashukulumbi driving them at 

 certain times into a circle, and as this has been 

 going on for years, the buck break out to one side 

 as soon as anyone gets near them. The zebra 

 would have been easy enough to kill, and I wanted 

 a couple of skins, but foolishly kept putting shoot- 

 ing off until we were almost finished the trip, and 

 then of course did not see any more. 



On the flats we could shoot only in the early 

 morning and late afternoon, on account of the 

 mirage, which surpassed anything I have ever seen. 

 At noon not only was there game on earth, but 

 great herds of it floating into the air, seemingly 

 close at hand. One day I jumped off my pony to 

 shoot a letchwi, when a troop of zebra galloping 

 by, the pony joined them, leaving me afoot. Fin- 

 aughty, who luckily was near at hand, gave chase, 

 and in a couple of hours I saw him come gallop- 

 ing back, leading the pony. He seemed so close 

 that I thought he saw me, and it was not until he 

 seemed to be passing us at a couple of hundred 

 yards that my boy, who had come up, called to 



356 



