172 SPORT IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



anything. Then we saw M. coming down to the 

 meshra, and hurried to meet him, when he said he had 

 seen the big koodoo. We climbed on to the look-out 

 hill, and there I got my telescope, which I had left 

 with M., on to the object, and ascertained it to be a 

 hartebeest. So much for M.'s trustworthiness. We 

 then moved on to the ground where the koodoo 

 usually graze, and found plenty of marks, and when 

 on top of a ridge I detected a doe koodoo, which un- 

 luckily detected me and disappeared. We decided, 

 however, to follow her up, and got within shot, on 

 some rising ground, but the bull was not with her, only 

 a calf. A. disturbed two more does a little further on, 

 but there was no sign of the bull. Meanwhile, the har- 

 tebeest had been working down to our meshra, and as 

 I was satisfied that the big koodoo was nowhere near, 

 I decided to stalk him. Unfortunately, when within 

 80 yards, he saw us through some thick thorns, where 

 it was impossible to shoot, and made off. We then 

 sat over the meshra until past 11, but the wind was 

 variable and nothing came, though two lots of doe 

 koodoo, presumably those seen earlier, drank higher 

 up, and a good bushbuck lower down. We then 

 returned disappointed to camp, and I wound up a 

 bad morning by missing a Heuglin gazelle at 60 yards 

 close to the tents. My only excuse was that I was 

 feeling fairly done up, and not in the least like 

 hitting. In the evening I went to the meshra. 



