TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 41 



For twenty minutes or more I crawled along, hoping 

 on, hoping ever, that some chance bit of luck would 

 bring me in fairly clear range, or that the antelope 

 would pause again. Clearly they had not winded me ; 

 clearly I was not doing so very badly to be still in 

 their vicinity at all. Now came a bare patch of country 

 to be got over, and I signed to Clarence to remain 

 behind. I was flat on my face, wriggling along the 

 sand. If the antelope were only in the open, and I in 

 the spot where they were screened ! The smallest 

 movement now, and ... I got to within 120 yards of 

 them when something snapped. The herd gathered 

 together and silently trotted off, making a way through 

 the density with surprising ease considering its thick 

 nature. I got up and ran some way to try and cut 

 them off, dropping again instantly as I saw a gap ahead 

 through which it seemed likely their rush would carry 

 them. It was an uncertain and somewhat long shot, 

 but the chances were I should never see the animals 

 again if I did not take even the small opportunity that 

 seemed about to present itself. I had long ago for- 

 gotten the very existence of my shikari. The world 

 might have been empty save for myself and four 

 gerenuk. Nervousness had left me, doubts of all kinds; 

 nothing remained save the wonder and the interest and 

 the scheming. 



It really was more good luck than good manage- 

 ment. I afterwards discovered that the gerenuk, or 

 Waller's gazelle, is the most difficult antelope to shoot 

 in all Somaliland, mostly from their habit of frequent- 

 ing the thickest country. 



