434 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



I found my attendant thoroughly conversant with his 

 present employment, for he tracked with such rapidity 

 and certainty that it was most difficult to keep up with 

 him. However, like an old experienced greyhound, who 

 refuses to pursue the tortuous winding of the hare, 

 but runs cunning, so did I. But even with this artifice 

 I could scarcely keep the hushman in sight, and if a 

 shot had presented itself, I was so much blown that 

 I doubt very much if I could have held my barrel 

 straight. At length, very much to my satisfaction, I 

 saw the spoorer stop, look back, and wave his hand. 

 Forward I pushed with increased rapidity, till I reached 

 him, when, motioning me to stoop, he took me up the 

 slope of a sand doon, over which, when I looked, I per- 

 ceived about thirty wildebeest feeding at a distance of 

 about four hundred yards. Deeming this too long a 

 shot to be certain of killing, I endeavoured by signs to 

 make my gillie understand that I wished to get closer 

 to the game. For some minutes my pantomimic actions 

 were not understood, but at length his expression told 

 me that I was comprehended, so we retraced our steps 

 for a short distance, then went across wind for several 

 hundred yards, and again approached the game, a small 

 sand-hill intervening between me and them, on reaching 

 the summit of which I found myself within two hundred 

 yards of several of the herd. I picked out a fat cow, 

 and took sight, but my hand trembled so that I hesitated 

 to fire. I removed the rifle from my shoulder, trusting 

 that in a few seconds I should recover from my shaki- 

 ness. After drawing a deep, full breath, I again took 

 sight, and fired ; the object of my aim dropped. Shoving 

 a fresh cartridge into the breech of my rifle, the bushman 

 and I ran down to despatch the victim. When within 



