296 



A Breath from the Veldt 



taking of breath and firing of shots, each halt increasing the distance between 



us and the antelopes as they became more and more seriously alarmed ; still I 



felt sure I should eventually kill the old bull which I had marked for my own, 



as he already showed signs of blowing hard. When a roan antelope is done he 



sticks his neck out straight and opens his big mouth wide, but these animals, I 



think, never hang their tongues out as deer do ; at all events I have never seen 



them do it, though I have watched them carefully and at no great distance. 



We must have run about four miles, and the horses, and still more the game, 



were showing signs of extreme fatigue when, on turning to remount Brenke, 



who up till now had been on his best behaviour, the little scoundrel took it 



into his head to make a bolt of it. Now, having learnt by experience the 



futility of trying to catch a runaway horse by going after him, I quietly waited 



till his galloping fit was over ; but by the time he was once more under my 



control the roan antelopes were well out of sight and the game was up for the 



day. For fully two hours we plodded on, on foot, so as to be as little 



conspicuous as possible ; but to no purpose. Though the animals were so 



done that their ordinary pace was reduced to a walk, yet by keeping a sharp 



look-out behind, they invariably sighted us before we could detect them. 



Time was now getting on, and as there seemed little hope of again coming to 



terms with the quarry, we abandoned the chase with sore hearts. It had been 



a disastrous hunt from beginning to end, and my companion was as dissatisfied 



with himself as I was, for neither of us could say that he had not had a fair 



chance. What hunter cannot recall such a series of mishaps, unless indeed he 



is one of those fortunate individuals who never miss a shot until well into the 



middle of the second volume ? However, koodoo marrow-bones and hot tea 



will dispel most men's cares, particularly when the flicker of the fire-light 



shines on a 45^ inch sable head. 



We stayed two more days by the Nuanetsi, and had it not been for want of 

 provisions and the Dutchmen's anxiety about their families, I could well have 

 put in another fortnight there, as the country is so charming. Several natives 

 from a Shangan village to the eastward had come in and brought somewhat 

 startling news about Matabele risings. The Dutchmen thought so seriously of 

 it that I could not if I would — and I certainly would not — prevent their 

 returning home to look after their women-folk, who, if accounts were true, 

 were in considerable peril. 



Just as we were leaving there came from the other side of the river a 

 waggon drawn by a beautiful span of black and white oxen, while behind it 



