REIT-BUCK SHOOTING. 95 



draught of its pure water, and invigorated our spirits with 

 a pinch of powerful snuff, without which no Kaffir is 

 entirely happy. While we allowed time for these stimu- 

 lants to produce their full effect, Matuan detailed to me 

 his plan of operations. He said that he would go on the 

 left of the ravine, and, keeping a little in advance of me, 

 would shout and beat the reeds. This proceeding would 

 probably cause the bucks, if there, to come out on the 

 right-hand side, and run towards his kraal : he therefore 

 recommended me to keep on the right side, and look out 

 for my shot. 



We started in the manner that he proposed, and had 

 scarcely gone half-way up the ravine, when a doe reitbok 

 sprang out of the cover, and cantered across in front 

 of me at about eighty yards' distance. I fired at her 

 shoulder, and heard the bullet strike ; she staggered and 

 nearly fell, recovered again, reeled a few yards, and came 

 to the ground to rise no more. Matuan shouted to me 

 to look out for the ram ; we waited a few seconds, when, 

 not seeing him, I explained to the Kaffir that I should 

 like to load. I had just placed the bullet on the powder, 

 when the ram burst out of the reeds, and bounding 

 away a few yards, stopped and looked full at me. I did 

 not wait to cap the barrel that I had loaded, but aimed with 

 my second. Just as I brought the gun to my shoulder, 

 he gave a sharp clear sort of whistle to call his partner, 

 and dashed off. I let fly at him as he went, and saw 

 a hind leg dangling useless and broken. Matuan rushed 

 through the reeds, and was after him like a hound. 

 I followed as quickly as I could, but, being encumbered 



