HUNTING THE KUDU AND SABLE. 



69 



head is not given. Mr. C. F. Selous shot a kudu with horns measuring 64in. 

 on the curve and 41 in. on the straight. The next best head that I know of 

 was shot by my friend, Capt. C. H. Stigand, and, as I have previously mentioned, 

 this fine trophy is 63|in. on the curve and 45in. tip to tip. This animal was 

 shot in the Shire River Valley, in Nyasaland, and is by far the best kudu head 

 that has yet been got in this part of Africa. 



My best three pairs of horns measure as follows : — 



(I) 



Curve 



Straight ... 

 Tip to tip ... 

 Circumference 



IN. 



56 

 40 

 27 

 II 



(3) 



Curve 



Straight 



Tip to tip ... 



Circumference 



IN. 



53i 

 4i| 

 325 

 11^ 



I give the measurement of these three heads as a comparison of the variations in 

 game heads. I have shot a number of other male kudu, and no two heads are alike in 

 every respect. The spread of head (i) is enormous and I have seen nothing like it. 



I will give an account of the shooting of this animal and of head (3) which I got 

 on the same day and near the same place. 



My tent was pitched at Katema's village on the Rukusi stream, and on the 

 morning of October loth, 1908, I went out to try to find fresh elephant spoor, or, if 

 unsuccessful in this respect, to get some fresh meat. Soon after leaving camp, a roan 

 antelope ran off; but I did not wish to fire at buck so early, until I had seen whether 

 the elephants had been about. 



After we had searched our favourite places, and could not find any elephant 

 spoor fresh enough to follow, I struck off to a part of the country where I felt sure I 

 would see kudu, 



Tramping along through undulating country covered with bush, bamboos, and 

 thick grass, we put up a herd of hartebeest which stood about three hundred 

 yards off. I managed to get within one hundred and fifty yards by stalking behind 

 an ant-heap, but just as I put my rifle up, they ran. 



One was a bit slow in getting away so I fired a rather hurried shot, and only 

 wounded the animal. 



He struggled on, however, and although we spoored him some way, I could not 

 get up to him again. 



At this time I was suffering from a very painful foot, for I had damaged a toe nail 

 which had festered badly, causing me great pain in walking. Every half hour or so 

 I had to sit down and remove my boot, and I was just preparing to do so when 

 Maohila, one of the men out with me said, " Ngoma, Bwana." 



