42 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



This is where the ignoramus scores. It is well known 

 that the tyro at first is often more successful in his 

 stalks, and kills too, for the matter of that, than your 

 experienced shikari with years of practice and a mine 

 of knowledge to draw on. Fools rush in where angels 

 fear to tread — and win too sometimes. 



The herd passed the gap, and, as they did so, slowed 

 up a bit to crush through. The buck presented more 

 than a sporting shot, his lighter side showing up clear 

 against his dark red back. I fired. I heard the "phut" 

 of the bullet, and knew I had not missed. I began to 

 tremble with the after excitements, and rated myself 

 soundly for it. I dashed to the gap. The buck — oh, 

 where was he ? Gone on, following his companions, 

 and all were out of sight. He was seriously wounded, 

 there was no doubt, for the blood trail was plain to be 

 seen. Clarence joined me, and off we went hot on 

 the track. After a long chase we came on a thickish 

 bunch of thorns, and my quarry, obviously hard hit, 

 bounded out, and was off again like the wind before I 

 had an opportunity to bring up my rifle. It was a long 

 time before he gave me another, when, catching him 

 in fairly open ground, I dropped him with a successful 

 shot at some 140 yards, and the buck fell as my first 

 prize of the trip. 



Clarence's pleasure in my success was really genuine, 

 and I gave him directions to reserve the head and skin, 

 royally presenting him with all the meat. I could not 

 at first make out why he so vigorously refused it. I 

 made up my mind he had some prejudice against this 

 particular variety of antelope. I afterwards found that 



