A BONNIE BAG. 33 



twenty -five miles by the light of the moon, whilst 

 I remained behind, to work my wicked will on 

 the antelope and small game that abounded, 

 until his return. 



He came back on the second day, and then we 

 resumed our march towards the tract of heavy 

 jungle where we hoped to meet with nobler and 

 bigger game. During his absence I shot a couple 

 of antelope and a splendid old cock bustard*, 

 who was confiding enough to flop up out of some 

 long grass, and was promptly bowled over with a 

 charge of No. 6 shot before he got thirty yards 

 away. This bird exhibited a curious mixture of 

 wariness and stupidity. I had viewed him stalk- 

 ing about on the plains some two hours previ- 

 ously, and had done my level best to get within 

 shot of him ; but no, he was too wary. Several 

 times did he lure me into a long and weary stalk, 

 only on each occasion, just when a few yards 

 more were all that were needed, to dash my hopes 

 to the ground by rising and taking a long flight 

 ere he pitched again. Having marked him down, 

 the operation would be repeated da capo. In 

 vain I tried to appear to be only engaged in geo- 

 logical pursuits, and pick up stones, etc., in which 

 I appeared to be most intensely interested ; it was 

 no go. Then meeting a native, driving a bullock- 



* Eupodotis Edwardsii. 



D 



