IMPROMPTU SPORT ON THE VELDT 195 



clumps of matted thorn-bush with their knob-kerries, 

 but not so much as a hare or rock-rabbit broke. At 

 length, all but one small strip of jungle remained un- 

 beaten, and I had almost given up hope of getting a 

 shot at the pig, or, indeed, at anything, when a sharp, 

 bark-like sound, which appeared to come from amidst 

 the bush just below, reached my ears. Jacob also heard 

 the sound, and whispering, " It's a bush-buck," he 

 strained his eyes towards the fringe of covert. The next 

 instant, with a great spring, a bush-buck jumped into 

 the open within 50 yards of me, and for a moment he 

 halted dead as though undecided whether to return to 

 his natural habitat, where such a hullabaloo was going 

 on, or to seek a quieter haven across the veldt. He halted 

 too long, however, for offering an absurdly easy broad- 

 side shot, the -303 " dum-dum " from my left barrel 

 dropped him stone-dead where he stood. 



It was a young buck, and carried but a poor head ; so 

 poor, indeed, that we did not trouble to measure his 

 horns. Nevertheless, he was a welcome addition to the 

 pot, which was better filled that evening than it had been 

 for many days during the long treh northwards. What 

 became of the wart-hog of the morning will never be 

 known : for he was not seen during the impromptu 

 drive of the hloof. 



