Hard Work with no Result 



pursued, and was promptly collared by the orderly. 

 The herd was concealed by a fairly thick wood, so 

 that I could not see to get in a well-aimed shot, 

 and while I was approaching cautiously to closer 

 quarters they made off again. I was greatly dis- 

 appointed, but determined to follow them up. Two 

 more hours' hard tracking and chmbing up a steep 

 hill we suddenly came upon them again. I did not 

 see them at first, as they were well concealed on the 

 reverse slope, which was very woody. Unfortunately 

 the wind was blowing straight on to them from our 

 position, and they soon became aware of our presence, 

 a huge cloud of dust marking their expeditious 

 flight as they stampeded away for good. I sat 

 down and tried to make light of my disappointment 

 under cover of a scratch meal, but as my small 

 "toto" in the excitement of the chase had upset 

 the pepper-pot over the marmalade sandwiches, I 

 had to make a present of most of my repast to the 

 native hunters. It was another five-and-a-half 

 hours' march before I eventually struck the main 

 road, and luckily the camp was situated just where I 

 arrived. Notwithstanding this was the hardest 

 day's shoot I had yet accomplished, eleven and a 

 half hours in the " gubba " with scarcely any food, 

 I was " done " to a turn, and fell into bed as 

 soon as my " safari " arrived. 



i6i II 



