Somali 



over his lowered head that should properly have 

 flattened him out. It didn't at all. Before I 

 could fire again I had to jump for my life, and 

 either my jump landed me clear of the sweep of 

 his vicious horns or he was staggered by the 

 bullet ; anyhow, I got off, and, turning round, 

 dropped him with the second barrel. I took off 

 his head and shield, but couldn't see my first 

 bullet. Some months after, when my shields were 

 being prepared for ornamental purposes, they were 

 paring away the top side of one to get a flat 

 surface to polish, when lo ! a flattened-out bullet 

 in the middle of it. It is still there, firmly im- 

 bedded, to the confusion of those who disbelieve 

 this story. 



A word more about oryx. It has been told 

 before, but no matter, I have seen it going on all 

 over the country, so I may be excused for relating 

 it again. In wet weather, when oryx sink deep in 

 the soft sand, the Somali runs them down. He 

 will follow the spoor of a heavy bull at a steady 

 trot for four or five hours, when he bays him and 

 dispatches him with his spears. Not infrequently 

 he is caught by the quick rush a cornered bull will 

 make, and then he hunts no more. I think it is 

 Gordon Cumming who relates how a gemsbok, 

 almost identical with the oryx, has been known 

 to kill a lion, both being found dead together, the 

 lion transfixed by the sharp, long horns. Truly 



"5 



