142 T^DVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



sion of masses of adamantine rock and stone, and dense 

 bushes with thorns on the boat-hook principle. In a few 

 minutes my legs below the knee were a mass of blood, 

 and my shirt, my only covering, was flying in stream- 

 ers from my waist. The old buck at first got a little 

 ahead, but presently, the ground improving, I gained 

 upon him, and after a sharp burst of about two miles 

 we commenced ascending a slight acclivity, when he 

 suddenly faced about and stood at bay, eyeing me with 

 glowing eyes and a look of defiance. This was to me 

 a joyfal moment. The buck I had for many years 

 heard of and longed to meet now stood at bay within 

 forty yards of me. I dismounted, and, drawing my ri- 

 fle from its holster, sent a bullet through his shoulder, 

 upon which he cantered a short distance and lay down 

 beside a bush. On my approach he endeavored to 

 charge, but his strength failed him. I then gave him 

 a second shot in the neck, just where I always cut off 

 the head. On receiving it he rolled over, and,»stretch- 

 ing his limbs, closed his eyes upon the storm, which all 

 this time raged with increasing severity. 



I felt extremely cold. I had lost my shirt in the chase, 

 and all that was left me was my shoes and leather knee- 

 breeches. I nevertheless took some time to inspect the 

 beautiful and rare antelope which I had been fortunate 

 enough to capture. He proved to be a first-rate spec- 

 imen : his horns were extremely rough and finely knot- 

 ted. I now proceeded to cut off his head and " gral 

 loched" him, all of which I accomplished before my fol- 

 lowers came up. They stumbled on me by chance,, 

 having lost sight of me in the denseness of the storm, 

 Having shifted my saddle from "The Cow" to "Coles- 

 berg," I ordered them to follow, and I rode hard for 

 camp, which was distant many miles. At sunset the 



