AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



over the nearest rise; so with due precautions I 

 followed after. At the top of that rise I lay still 

 in astonishment. Before me marched solemnly an 

 unbroken single file of game, reaching literally to 

 my limit of vision in both directions. They came 

 over the land swell a mile to my left, and they were 

 disappearing over another land swell a mile and a 

 half to my right. It was rigidly single file, except 

 for the young; the nose of one beast fairly touching 

 the tail of the one ahead, and it plodded along at 

 a businesslike walk. There were but three species 

 represented, the gnu, the zebra, and the hartebeeste. 

 I did not see the head of the procession, for it had 

 gone from sight before I arrived; nor did I ever see 

 the tail of it either, for the safari appearing inop- 

 portunely broke its continuance. But I saw two 

 miles and a half, solid, of big game. It was a great 

 and formal trek, probably to new pastures. 



Then I turned my attention to the Roberts' gazelle, 

 and my good luck downed a specimen at 273 yards. 

 This with the Bohur reed buck, made the second 

 new species for the day. Our luck was not yet over, 

 however. We had proceeded but a few miles when 

 Kongoni discovered a herd of topi. The safari im- 

 mediately lay down, while I went ahead. There 

 was little cover, and I had a very hard time to get 

 within range, especially as a dozen zebras kept 



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