RAVIXE DEER AXD BLACK BUCK HUXTII^G. 79 



passed within fifty yards of some natives tramping out wheat with 

 bullocks, and stopped in an adjoining field. Stealing up behind the 

 nearest cover I fii-ed at him again, when he started up and slowly 

 trotted off. Major Koss halted under a banyan tree, for the sun 

 was now beginning to tell upon us, but I kept on. Disgusted with 

 my unusually poor shooting, I determined to follow that buck and 

 bring him down by main strength if necessaiw. He trotted slowly 

 along and I humed after him to keep him in sight. The hot winds 

 were blowing from the northwest, the heat was intense, and it was 

 risking a sun-stroke to go on, for the buck kept leading directly 

 from the station, now five miles away. At intervals he would stop, 

 but he watched me constantly, and whenever I came within two hun- 

 dred yards of him he would start on again. The persj^iration poured 

 off me like rain, and such exertion was beginning to tell upon my 

 nerves. 



After a time I stalked him successfully a third time and got a 

 shot, but jDerspiration half blinded me, and my arms were so un- 

 steady that I could scarcely hope to hit. However, I heard the 

 bullet strike with a dull thud upon his hide, and on we went as be- 

 fore. I was determined to measure that buck's horns before tvurn- 

 ing back. About noon he halted again in an open field, evidently 

 much distressed, and getting him in line with an acacia I made a 

 very creditable stalk, wiped the joerspiration out of my eyes, and 

 fixed again. This time the buck failed to run away. He stood still, 

 began to gasp violently, staggered, fell over, and the chase was 

 ended. One bullet had gone through his fore-arm, another through 

 his sternum, a third thi-ough his withers, breaking one of the ver- 

 tebral processes, and the last went thi'ough his liver. I had shot all 

 around the vital parts. His horns measured twenty inches and 

 he was in every way a beauty ; but the manner of his death left me 

 nothing to be proud of. 



Jungi arrived in search of me while I was cutting out the en- 

 trails of the buck to lessen his weight, and two natives who came 

 up to see the quarr}-, were easily persuaded to sling it under a 

 pole and carry it to the station for a consideration. We were six 

 miles from home, and it was noon ; but the buck was dead, and 

 what cared we if the plain was like the floor of an oven and the air 

 like the breath of a furnace ? 



During my chase, Major Ross killed another buck almost as 

 black as mine. Two hours later, a cold bath, dry clothes, and a good 

 tiffin had set us completely to rights. During the two days we 



