160 SPORT IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



the 12th, i.e. two days back, at 8.30 a.m., came to 

 drink at the same spot. I again got to within 

 60 yards of them, and this time no contretemps oc- 

 curred, and I broke the back of the bull at first shot, 

 though it took us nearly half an hour to get round 

 to the ford and put the poor beast out of his pain. 

 He was a heavier bull than the last, weighing 397 lb., 

 but the horns were a trifle shorter, being 17 inches. 

 He was accompanied by the same three females and 

 three fawns as before. I then returned to camp 

 alone, leaving the shikaris on guard, and sent out a 

 camel, which returned in the afternoon with the dead 

 hartebeest, the rest of the day being spent attending 

 to his skin. I may note that this morning I had seen 

 no less than eight different species of game, and had 

 been actually within shot of most of them. To-day I 

 dined in camp and went to the machan afterwards. 

 February 15th. Spent another fruitless night in 

 the machan. Towards midnight a lion snarled in the 

 cliffs on the opposite bank, and at dawn the same lion 

 moved off roaring, being also heard by the shikaris in 

 camp. I hurriedly tied up a goat in the direction 

 whence the last roar had proceeded, but without 

 success, and a careful search afterwards failed to show 

 any tracks, though the ground was unfavourable. 

 I then moved down to the big meshra, and had the 

 machan dismantled. To-day I saw nothing but a 

 female bushbuck, a female waterbuck, an ariel, and 



