'WARE THE PLUCK OF BUSH-BUCK. 101 



so thought I would again light the recusant pipe. While 

 doing so I heard growls and one or two suppressed 

 yelps, so I sought the pony, and hurried to the place 

 from whence the sounds emanated. At length I reached 

 it, and there were the dogs, Bontebuck much out of 

 breath, with his tongue hanging flaccidly over his lower 

 jaw, and Bob standing like a pointer, his hair bristled 

 up, as if anxious to lay hold of something he dare not 

 attack. Still I could see no game ; but that some had 

 been brought to bay no one who knew dogs' manners 

 and natures could doubt. 



Coming within fifty yards of the hounds, I jumped 

 off* the pony and walked to the spot ; but before I knew 

 what I was about something sprung out of the bush, 

 and was within two or three yards of me when my rifle, 

 employed as a pistol, turned it over. Fortunately I used 

 my weapon as I did, for I never could have had time to 

 bring it to my shoulder before the assailant's horns had 

 impaled me. 



It was the bush-buck : the first shot had been too 

 low and too far back either to cripple or kill. This 

 was not my first experience of bush-buck, but I had 

 since been occupied with other game, and had for- 

 gotten what an active, plucky little beast it was when 

 wounded. Let novices beware of wounded bush-buck. 

 After divesting the carcase of the paunch and stomach, 

 I was about to leave it on the road for the Boers to pick 

 up, when a horseman joined me ; he told me the wagons 

 were close, so we waited to hand over to them the 

 reward of my prowess, after which, along with my 

 acquaintance, whom I had met at Bushman's E-iver, I 

 rode forward to Colenso. 



