TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 279 



The thing worked like a charm. The tooth had given 

 over aching, and bar a dark brown taste in my mouth I 

 was none the worse for my carouse. 



We saw a couple of oryx out early, and dashed off 

 after them. Ponies were of no use now, and had to 

 be left behind. I crawled along such stony ground 

 I wore down to my bare knees in no time, and then 

 only got within range as the oryx sped away again. 

 They sailed so gracefully over the rough ground, and 

 no obstacle barred their way. Cecily was posted on 

 a small rise beneath which the oryx passed, and got in 

 a telling shot, running down to see the result. We 

 were exceedingly foolish in what we did, after all the 

 experience we had too. Seeing the oryx was hard hit 

 we ran towards him, and he who looked at first like 

 dying as suddenly rose to his feet and ran towards us 

 head down for the charge, his whole weight set for the 

 blow. Perdition catch our stupidity ! Did we not 

 know the strength and power of those rapier horns ? 

 Cecily was taken back with the onslaught for a moment, 

 and then dashed precipitately behind a clump of aloes. 

 I dropped on one knee to try and get a surer shot, to 

 rise next moment to dodge and flee. My very 

 ignominious flight was my cousin's opportunity. The 

 buck followed me, she followed him, and getting in a 

 close raking shot, finished what looked like the com- 

 mencement of an ugly affair. This was our last oryx 

 of the trip, and a very fair specimen. The skin of his 

 neck was quite half an inch in thickness, a veritable 

 armour-plate. I did not know until later that the 

 best and most desired shields are got from the neck 



