382 LARGE GAME. CHAP. VIII. 



I could hear the dogs in full cry after it, and hurried 

 on my loading to the uttermost, and just as I placed the 

 cap on, a red buck, breaking out with one of those tre- 

 mendous rushes for which these antelopes are famous, 

 and which so often makes the hunter think that he has 

 something larger to deal with, almost brushed past me, so 

 taking me by surprise, for I had thought that it was the 

 nkonka, that I missed it clean. Half a second after- 

 wards my hunter fired a shot from the top of the bank, 

 and as he did so I saw the head and horns of the nkonka 

 appear over the brushwood, about thirty yards above me, 

 making at full speed for the jungle beyond. Wheeling 

 round I got the gun up and covered it, aiming through the 

 low scrub for where I considered that his shoulder ought 

 to be, and when the smoke cleared the animal had dis- 

 appeared. At that instant two of the dogs came up to 

 me, attracted by the shot, and as I thought that I might 

 have wounded it, I climbed up the bank with them with- 

 out delaying to load, in order to put them on the scent 

 while it was still quite fresh. The ascent was nearly per- 

 pendicular, and I had some difficulty in reaching the spot. 

 Just as I did so the two dogs ran forward, and instantly 

 I saw the head of the nkonka rise out of the underbrush, 

 and springing to its legs, the brute charged straight at 

 me. I was certainly not three yards off, and my gun was 

 empty. Dodging was impossible, and I had only time to 

 club my otherwise useless weapon, and, bringing it round 

 with a swing, to strike the antelope on the side of its 

 head, the force of the blow unfortunately breaking the 

 stock of the gun, which, as it happened, did not belong to 

 me. As I did this I half lost my balance and fell forward 



