92 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



for a charge, when another ball nipped these thoughts 

 in the bud. Still, though bleeding profusely from the 

 nose and mouth, it stood its ground, until, with another 

 shot, it fell dead. More rejoicings on our return, and I 

 had the honour of some wild dancing, sword exercise, 

 and shaking of hands. All this at first is amusing enough, 

 but if it is to be repeated whenever a big animal is shot, 

 there seems to be every prospect of its soon becoming 

 monotonous. 



Jan. 29. Gumming has added two new animals to 

 our list of killed one a fine specimen of antelope, named 

 the tetel. It is larger than a red deer, and of a some- 

 what darker colour. Its special characteristic is a long 

 ungainly-looking head, that looks far more suitable to a 

 horse than an antelope, and not altogether unlike one. 

 The horns are also ugly, short, and annulated, projecting 

 at first outwards, and then curving upwards and inwards. 

 Though not therefore altogether a handsome species of 

 antelope, it has three good points a skin valuable to 

 the natives for carrying water, flesh excellent as food, and 

 plenty of it, His other addition was a pig, but a poor 

 lean specimen, with very small tusks. Judging from 

 those we have yet seen here, it seems almost absurd to 

 call them wild boar, for tamer creatures could scarcely 

 be found. On first seeing us, their idea generally is to 

 run up gently towards us to inspect the strange appa- 

 rition in their wild haunts. Ibrahim's career has sud- 



