70 BLACK BUCK. 



could not have seen the buck from the crop, and succeeded in approaching 

 to within 150 yards ; I was unseen, as the ground quite concealed me. 

 Having removed my helmet, I gently raised my head and peered over 

 the rise, to see my buck scratching the side of his face with his hind toe, 

 quite oblivious of my approach. I wriggled up a bit with the '500 rifle, 

 got both elbows on the ground, and aimed at the point of his shoulder 

 quickly. It was very hot on my bare head, and that alone hastened niy 

 movements. I fired, and the buck gave one bound into the air, falling 

 dead. Amongst the green crop, in the hollow to my right, sprang up 

 some bucks and does, one of the former being fairly black. I quickly 

 decided he was worth the shot, and slewed round sufficiently to cover 

 him ; they were trotting off, and I had to rise and fire from the knee. He 

 received the contents of the left barrel, but, instead of dropping, galloped 

 round in a wide circle for nearly 200 yards, and then dropped dead. On 

 examination I found number one had received the bullet at the spot I 

 intended ; his horns were just 18in. Number two was hit about 6in. 

 too far back, but must have died from the suffocation caused by internal 

 haemorrhage, the lungs being quite stuffed with blood ; his horns were a 

 little over 17in. 



