196 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



manes and long, black, bushy tails streaming in the breeze, they 

 presented an appearance at once striking and imposing ; and to a 

 Granger they conveyed rather the idea of buffaloes than anything 

 belonging to the antelope tribe, to which, indeed, wildebeests, both 

 black and white, are but remotely allied, notwithstanding the 

 classification of naturalists. 



About midnight on the 16th, weary with tossing on my restless 

 couch, I arose, and taking my two-grooved rifle, a pillow, and a 

 blanket, I held for my shooting-hole beside the fountain. The 

 remainder of the night was very cool, with a southerly breeze 

 At dawn I looked from my hole, and, seeing no game approach- 

 ing, I rolled my blanket tight around me and tried to sleep. In 

 this manner I had lain for about half an hour, when I was suddenly 

 startled by a large, heavy animal galloping past within six feet of 

 me. I at once knew that it must be either some beast which had 

 oeen coming to drink and had got my wind, or one hunted, which, 

 according to the custom of deer and the larger antelopes, had 

 rushed for refuge to the water in its distress. In the latter con- 

 jecture I was right ; for, on cautiously peeping through the stones 

 which surrounded my hole, I had the pleasure to behold a fine 

 bull brindled gnoo dash into the waters of the fountain within forty 

 yards of me, and stand at bay, followed by four tearing, fierce- 

 looking wild dogs. All the four had their heads and shoulders 

 covered with blood, and looked savage in the extreme. They 

 seemed quite confident of success, and came leisurely up to the 

 bull, passing within a few yards of me, their eyes glistening with 

 ferocious glee. 



My anxiety to possess this fine old bull, and also a specimen of 

 the wild dog, prevented my waiting to see more of the fun. I 

 deliberated for a few seconds whether I would shoot the bull first 

 or one of the hounds, and ended by shooting the gnoo and the 

 largest hound right and left. The bull, on receiving the ball, 

 bounded out of the fountain; but suddenly wheeling about, he 

 re-entered it, and staggering violently for a moment, subsided in 

 its v aters. The hound got the bullet through his heart, and 

 springing forvva.d from his comrades, instantly measured his 



