98 LARGE GAME. CHAP. n. 



and, going over the rise, was lost to view. While this had 

 been going on I had an impression that I could hear distant 

 squealing, such as these animals make only in their death- 

 agonies, or when in very great pain, unless it be in 

 moments of fury, but now in the restored quiet I could 

 hear it quite distinctly, and I knew by it that my single 

 bullet must have mortally wounded the first one. ; It 

 would not, however, do to leave the brute squealing there 

 for long, disturbing everything within hearing, and not 

 impossibly bringing lions about, in which latter case I need 

 not hope to see any buffalo, so, although I was rather 

 nervous at the risk of coming across the other, which was 

 very likely close by, and would not, I knew, spare me if it 

 got the chance, I again got down, and proceeded in the 

 direction of the cries. I had to be careful; -the moon, 

 shining brightly enough in the open, cast deep black 

 shadows among the trees, and forced me to go forward 

 foot by foot, sometimes standing more than a minute 

 examining some dark recess before I ventured to pass it. 

 The squealing of the animal, loud enough when I started, 

 also gradually died away, until, ceasing altogether, it left 

 me without any guide. However, I persevered, and, after 

 going about a quarter of a mile, I saw a great shapeless 

 heap by the side of a clump of bushes, which turned out 

 to be what I was looking for, and, as it was quite dead, 

 I made the best of my way back. 



Nothing more disturbed the stillness of the pool until 

 after the morning star had risen, when I heard the startled 

 cry of the ititihoya plover, and knowing that it never 

 stirs during the night unless almost trodden upon, I 

 waited in expectation, and in a few minutes three old 



