THE -500 EXPRESS. 67 



good, but presently descried a very black fellow lying down out on the 

 plain away from the crops, with two or three smaller bucks near him. 

 His horns looked good, so I went for him in the same way as for the first. 

 He was more wary, and bolted when I was still at long range, and I had 

 to snap a standing shot. The little rifle was true again, and he tumbled 

 over and over, with the bullet a little too far forward in the shoulder. 

 The others were too small for my attention, and I walked up to my prize. 

 A better pair of horns than the first, just 21iu., and a rare black skin. 

 Another friendly native was quickly found and despatched to camp after 

 the usual ceremonies. I began to think my luck was too good to last, and 

 that some error must have been made by my former acquaintances, who 

 usually sent in 18in. as the best they had seen. 



The sun was now getting high, and, looking at my watch, I found it 

 about eleven o'clock. Great Scott ! perhaps I may get another before 

 noon ! "When a " griff," three bucks of sorts in a whole day had been the 

 best performance of my seniors, and had won my admiration. Well, I 

 saw more, and at last found a herd coming towards me, with a good head 

 near the tail (of the herd !). They were mighty shy, and the pony and I 

 could not get nearer than 300 yards. Every side we tried, but it was 

 evident they had been molested, and would not stand fire again in a hurry. 

 The best buck looked as good as either I had shot, so I could not give 

 him up, but I was quite unable to get the shot ; at last a boy came along 

 with a herd of cattle, and I explained to him I would give him the 

 all-powerful " backsheesh " if he would drive them alongside the game 

 and let me keep under their cover. He acquiesced, with joy depicted on 

 his black phiz, and we were soon within 100 yards. I dropped behind 

 and just followed the tail, in a rather hazardous position owing to some 

 of the " bheils " wishing to rush at me. The boy drove them on, and at 

 last the buck dropped behind his herd, and I was able to fire. He was 

 walking pretty smartly, but the rifle was true and planted the bullet 

 where I wished behind the shoulder. The herd galloped off with their 

 usual leaps, always taken at the spot where the foremost commenced, and 

 the cattle rushed about in great confusion. A small boy was left in 

 charge of them, and the other started for camp with buck No. 3, whose 

 horns were a bare 19in. I cantered away for camp myself, and was in it 

 by twelve noon. All three buck arrived safely, and the men of my 

 company had great feeding on two of them, while the third gave our 

 mess meat enough and to spare. It was certainly great luck to get three 

 buck averaging 20in. before noon on a day in December in the North- 

 West Provinces. 



The first time I tried this rifle at black-buck, I rather expected to 

 find the game smashed up too much, although I had seen plenty shot 

 with rifles of the same bore, but not of quite such a flat trajectory or 

 high initial velocity. However, subsequent experience proved that it 



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