THE GALEGU 237 



May 13th. It rained in the morning, and my 

 shikaris at first refused to come out, although when 

 I started by myself they followed. I visited the pool 

 above camp, but nothing had drunk there. The going 

 was very bad, except in the river-bed, and I returned 

 to camp along the latter, seeing no game, though 

 there were fresh tracks of hippo. Some men visited 

 my camp during the rain who had seen fresh buffalo- 

 tracks behind camp. The rain stopped at 11 a.m., 

 and by 1 p.m. it was dry enough to travel, the black 

 cotton-soil having caked on top. We went out and 

 took up the trail, which was obvious enough and 

 fairly fresh ; and by 3 p.m. saw the herd lying down 

 in open ground ahead of us, when, the wind being 

 favourable, I stalked up to a fallen tree within 100 

 yards of the nearest members. I examined all the 

 members very carefully, and made out a bull on the 

 left, but a good distance off. I think I made an error 

 in not retracing my steps and stalking from his side, 

 but preferred to take the chance of the herd moving 

 in my direction towards evening. As it was, they 

 moved the other way, and when the bull stood up 

 and offered a broadside shot I had to take it, and 

 scored a clean miss, when they went off at a gallop and 

 I had no second chance. I stepped the distance and 

 found it 155 paces, whereas I used the 100-yards 

 sight. Still, the target was a big one, and with a H.V 

 rifle I ought to have scored a hit, and as the ground 



