PALLAHS. 183 



herd ran together, and with head erect and ears 

 cocked stood in line, staring straight at the bush 

 behind which I was concealed. Another whistle and 

 they were off, galloping gracefully and speedily across 

 the open plain to the forest on the opposite side, 

 which they entered and were lost to sight. 



I nowmade tracks formyparty, as the time I hadgiven 

 them was nigh run out. Seven pallahs stood wonder- 

 ing at my sudden and novel appearance under a large 

 baobab tree in the forest as I was hurrying back. 

 They had seen me first, so I knew all chance of get- 

 ting nearer to them was gone. I discerned an un- 

 usually fine buck in their midst, but he, too, was look- 

 ing at me. I knelt down, knowing that were I to 

 advance another yard they would be off at full speed, 

 while by my remaining perfectly motionless, I fancied 

 they would stare at me for some time, and then, if 

 they suspected any danger, would move quietly off. 

 It turned out as I expected. I had not been on my 

 knees two minutes when the very buck I wanted to 

 kill walked quietly out of the herd and moved slowly 

 away, followed by the remainder of his family in sin- 

 gle file. When he was about a hundred yards off, I 

 determined to try my luck, and, taking a steady aim, 

 fired. The buck fell to the shot, and the rest of the 

 herd disappeared in an instant. On examination, I 

 found that Rigby 10 had sent its heavy ball clean 

 through both shoulder blades. I never had a rifle 

 that shot so well or so hard as this. It invariably 

 knocks out of time at once any animal that has the 

 misfortune to come within its reach. I cut off this 

 fine head, and placing it on my shoulder, continued 



