TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 261 



the fact that there were not enough of them to go 

 round. We had to trench on the water supply a 

 little after this entertainment, for a wash was an 

 absolute necessity. 



Next day a somewhat untoward incident occurred. 

 Cecily and I had detached from a herd of three a fine 

 bull oryx, who by reason of some infirmity was not 

 so fleet as his fellows, and so made an easier quarry. 

 Such a glorious chase he gave us, and more than once 

 we almost took a toss as the ponies groped for a foot- 

 hold in the maze of ant bear holes. 



At last, to cut what promised to be a never-ending 

 chase, I flung myself off the pony at the nearest point 

 I judged we should ever get to the coveted oryx this 

 way, and taking no sort of a sight, I was so out of 

 breath with the shaking of my steed, brought down 

 the antelope in a crumpled heap at a distance of some 

 two hundred and ten yards. This was not so bad, all 

 things considered. We went up close to the fallen 

 creature. I had my hand through the reins of my 

 prodigiously blowing pony, and most injudiciously 

 ranged alongside. Cecily was still mounted. The 

 splendid bull rose from the dead, erect and firm, and 

 I was given no sort of a chance to protect myself 

 before he made for me with lowered horns. It all 

 happened in the twinkling of an eye. I jumped as 

 clear as I could, but the reins entangled me, and the 

 vicious horns caught my left arm as my foe swept 

 along. I was brought to my knees with the impact. 

 As he pulled up in a great slide to turn for a return 

 joust Cecily dropped him, at such close quarters 



