HIS PASSION FOR THE CHASE. 49 



being a good sportsman, he certainly did not distin- 

 guish himself as a marksman, and invariably used 

 such heavy charges that his shoulder was constantly 

 swelled from the recoil. 



Our friend always rode on horseback, leaving 

 the laden camels to tv/o of his companions. He was 

 ever on the alert for game ; no sooner had his quick 

 eye detected antelope than he galloped up to offer 

 us the option of shooting it, or sometimes stalked 

 them himself, having rirst lighted the slow match of 

 his gun. His companions, upon whom devolved the 

 whole care of the pack animals, were evidently not 

 very well pleased with their friend's turn for sport- 

 ing. On one occasion they punished him by obliging 

 him to lead the pack animals, when, to our surprise 

 we saw Randzemba no longer mounted on his horse, 

 but leading his camels by the halter. He did not, 

 however, endure this restraint on his liberty for 

 long. As ill-luck would have it, antelope were 

 plentiful that day, and Randzemba, perched upon the 

 back of a camel, could see a long way. In whatever 

 direction he chanced to look, his eyes were sure to 

 rest upon some of these animals ; this was too much 

 for his forbearance, and after watching us start off in 

 pursuit of one of the kara-sultas (black-tailed ante- 

 lope), his excitement knew no bounds, and, oblivious 

 of all else save the one absorbing passion of the 

 chase, he led his pack animals into a ravine, Avhere 

 they were found by his countrymen, Avho, seeing how 

 impossible It was to put any trust In so restless a 



VOL. II. E 



