302 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
faction of seeing the cheetahs still in the same place, and gained 
the boulders without any difficulty. My gun-bearer and I then 
took up our position under a small thorn-tree, which was 
growing in a crevice of the largest boulder. As this afforded 
us a certain amount of shade, we awaited events there, hoping 
that the cheetahs would come in our direction when it became 
too hot for them in the open. In about half an hour, during 
which time they still continued to play and roll about, I noticed 
that their attitude suddenly changed. All four stood up and 
gazed fixedly in my direction, and I feared that an eddy in 
the wind had caused them to scent us ; but on having a look at 
them with my binoculars I was delighted to see that they were 
not looking directly at me, but rather to the left of me, and on 
turning my head I saw a steinbuck quietly feeding some 150 
yards off to my left, on the same level as myself. I then turned 
my attention to the cheetahs, which for a short time stood all 
together, and I concluded, from the difference in their size, that 
there was one male and three females. Only two of them, 
however, took up the hunt, the male and a female. These 
advanced by short rushes, and not by a stealthy crawl like a 
couple of lions which I saw stalking some elands, described else- 
where, neither did they both advance at the same time; the 
male always took the lead, and after each rush, in a crouch- 
ing position, squatted down and waited until the female saw 
her opportunity to get up level with him. In this manner they © 
approached within 160 yards of the steinbuck (it struck me 
they could have easily got considerably nearer) when they both 
ran in, and were within 100 yards before the little buck looked 
up, and, seeing them coming, without the slightest hesitation 
bolted straight uphill as hard as it could go. The cheetahs, 
however, were more than a match for it in pace. As they laid 
themselves out flat to the ground they gained at each stride, 
and I expected every second to see the male, which was leading 
by some few yards, run into the buck ; but when only about 
ten yards off the plucky little buck doubled sharp to the left 
throwing off its pursuer, which immediately gave up the chase. 
‘bir ci Ps ibiht ae 
Pia i ll tailgate hv 
ae Te Seat ee 
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