ROEBUCK SHOOTING ON THE BANKS OF THE RHINE. 253 



•quieting the mosquitoes. " No smoke," said the ancient — 

 finding his English for the first time. 



It was useless for me to argue that if the animal would 

 .smell smoke he would surely smell us ; or recall travellers' tales 

 from other climes to persuade him into concurrence. He 

 would certainly neither understand nor accept such conclusion. 

 He was lord paramount for the day; I was his slave, and there 

 was nothing for it but to pocket my pride and my pipe 

 .together. 



Now he pointed out where the object of our search had been 

 recently scraping and stamping under a tree ; fresh slots were 

 ■visible all round ; and I began at last to believe that roebuck 

 might after all be no mere prehistoric animal as regarded 

 Baden. So languishing attention was sharpened up, the 

 swollen muscles of the face were again surrendered peacefully 

 to the buzzing enemies, and I stood again as watchful as a 

 sentry on a dangerous outpost — endeavouring with rigid neck 

 to look in several directions at once. Of a sudden, the re- 

 motest corner of my right optic jumped, as it were, to a quiet 

 movement just within its focus. Hitherto it had caught nothing 

 more than the flutter of an occasional butterfly, the flight of an 

 insect, or the passing of some tiny bird from bush to bush. 

 But instinct told that this was something better worth watch- 

 ing : so, without turning my head or moving a muscle, I 

 brought both eyes round as far as possible, and awaited de- 

 velopment. A second later a little red head peered round a 

 tree only a few yards away, a miniature pair of horns came 

 forward like feelers — and I deemed that the chance had surely 

 come. In my ignorance I had expected some answering call to 

 that of his supposed lady love ; but the little gallant had crept 

 ■up in silence and stealth, and was now peering curiously round 

 him for the siren that had lured him. Another moment and 

 he would be clear of covert and at my mercy. Moreover, apart 

 from the savage instinct of killing, I was anxious for further 

 acquaintance. But the curtain was suddenly pulled down by 

 another hand. The old shikari behind me, either distrustful of 



