BALL BETTER THAN SHOT. 



167 



One frequently met numbers of the little grey monkeys 

 in the bush. These mercurial little creatures are very 

 amusing, and I often thought that they must have great 

 fun with the elephants, the old-fashioned staid character of 

 the latter being just the sort of butt that monkeys would 

 choose upon which to play their practical jokes, A monkey 

 can jump on and off an elephant's back with very little 

 fear of consequences, thanks to his wonderful activity ; 

 or can pull a tail or an ear, with but little chance of 

 meeting punishment from the powerful trunk. I consider 

 these monkeys as the regular and acknowledged harle- 

 quins of the bush, and never could bear the idea of 

 shooting at one. I frequently had disputes with my Kaffirs 

 on this subject, as they would get into a great state of 

 excitement if there were a good chance of knocking over 

 a monkey; the skin, when converted into long strips, 

 being a very fashionable article to wear round the waist 

 or ankles. 



I made a very good double shot on one occasion, by 

 which I killed a buck and doe of the black bush-buck. 

 I obtained a snap shot at the buck as he was bounding 

 over a bush, and dropped him; the lady came back to 

 peep at what had detained her good man, and suffered 

 for her curiosity. I was much in want of meat at the 

 time for my Kaffirs and dogs, or would have spared 

 her. 



In both these instances I found the advantage of using 

 a bullet in place of shot, both animals dropping dead at 

 once. If shot is used, at least half the bucks wounded 

 escape for the time, and die miserably in some dark part 



