SHOOTING QUAGGA. 239 



from the game, when both spring off their horses and 

 shoot almost at the same moment. The result is that 

 one brown beast is seen struggling on the ground, and 

 another, sorely stricken and completely crippled, leaves 

 the herd. 



I had taken up my position of observation under a 

 solitary tree, for the sake of the shelter it afforded, and 

 there remained seated after the game fell. I might 

 have been thus employed about ten minutes, when the 

 earth resounded with the noise of numerous hoofs. I 

 sprung up to learn the cause, when I perceived a herd 

 of quagga galloping up- wind, prancing, bucking, and 

 kicking like a drove of colts just turned loose. From 

 the direction they were going, by riding a few hundred 

 yards I would be within easy shooting distance, so I 

 jumped into the saddle, and plied my spurs. The quaggas 

 did not alter their course, but increased their speed. A 

 strong pull on the curb checked my mount- In a 

 moment I was on my feet, and singling out the largest, 

 pressed the trigger. For a moment the dust prevented 

 me knowing the result, but when it cleared away, one 

 of the striped beauties was ineffectually trying to follow 

 its comrades. I hurried up to put it out of pain, but 

 it charged me, mouth open. When it was about ten 

 paces distant, I again shot : my aim was the centre of 

 the head; and with the report the bonnie beast fell to 

 rise no more. 



It was a splendid mature stallion, measuring nearly 

 fourteen hands at the shoulder, and would have been an 

 ornament to any zoological garden. Although pleased 

 at my success, I could not help feeling regret at slaying 

 even for food such a magnificent animal. However, 

 there is no flesh that the blacks of this part of the 



