ON THE STONY ATHI 233 



safety, 500 yards off) standing "on gaze" lie must 

 needs gaze too. But be, being exactly 245 yards away, 

 thus received a "450 ball in the forehead ! The photo 

 on previous page shows him as he fell. 



This, and my brother's best bull, each measured over 

 25 ins. between the inside bends of their horns. 



When w^ounded and at close quarters, the weird and 

 shaggy wildebeest, with his broad horns and fierce eye, 

 can present a sufficiently alarming appearance. The 

 fact was driven home by an incident that occurred in 

 the Transvaal in August 1899. I had succeeded in 

 cutting out a herd of some forty brindled gnus coming 

 to water on the N'guanetsi River, and the second barrel 

 had knocked over a big bull which, however, speedily 

 regained his legs, when the whole herd bunched together 

 and disappeared from view, amidst the fringing bush 

 and forest. The trail they left — like that of a runaway 

 wagon — obliterated all individual spoor ; but after follow- 

 ing it with my gunbearer, Klaas, a mile or so on to the 

 open grass-veld beyond, a single beast had turned out 

 to the right, and on this trail we instantly detected 

 blood. Five hundred yards beyond, while crossing a 

 stony patch, bare of grass, we were arrested by a roar 

 and a rush in our rear. Not twenty yards behind came 

 the wounded bull, dashing towards us — a perfect picture 

 of fury. We had walked past him ; for (as wounded 

 beasts often do) he had turned back on his heel before 

 lying down, but on getting our wind beyond, made this 

 grand effort. Luckily (as I only carried a stick) the 

 bull's strength betrayed his courage. Klaas handed 

 the rifle smartly, skipping behind me in the same 

 movement. But already the acute stage had passed. 

 Within twice his own length, the plucky beast pulled 

 up exhausted, his eyes still flashing and broad 

 muzzle stretched out horizontally towards us, blow- 

 ing and bellowing. But crimson foam flew from 

 those nostrils, and by stepping two yards to right, I 

 got the shoulder exposed and terminated a memorable 

 scene. 



