I46 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



quarry, and, therefore, thought at first that they were 

 only feeding up wind, as is their natural habit ; but, 

 no, this could not be the case, as they seldom stopped 

 to pluck the attractive herbage that so luxuriously 

 grew around them. But soon the Harris-bok com- 

 menced to hasten their pace, and that in the right 

 direction, so I changed my caps, after seeing that 

 the powder was well up in the nipples. On they 

 came till a rise in the ground interfered with the 

 object they dreaded, when all reduced their gait to a 

 walk. As usual, the females came first, the position 

 of honour, in the rear, being occupied by the buck. 

 These animals were truly a grand sight as they 

 threaded their way, for they followed each other in 

 single file, appearing each to tread in the track made 

 by its predecessor. At length they were within 

 shooting distance ; no air contaminated by my pre- 

 sence had, so far, reached them, for their walk was 

 now indolence personified. I would sooner not 

 have injured them (for trophies of the chase I could 

 not take, from lack of porters, as evidence of 

 my success) ; but, on the other hand, meat was 

 wanted in our camp, although I had killed a cow 

 buffalo only a few days previously. So I fired at 

 the queen of the herd, the leader, a beautiful beast, 

 sleek as a thoroughbred horse and plump as an old 

 gentleman's cob. My aim was true, for although 

 the distance was a good hundred yards, she fell dead 

 without a struggle. The survivors seemed alarmed, 



