110 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



being very severe. While cantering along we passed 

 several troops of hartebecsts and ostriches, and late in 

 the day I observed a small troop of oryx. 



On the 26th I raised my head from my saddle about 

 1 o'clock A.M., imagining the day was dawning, and, 

 having reused my after-riders, we proceeded to saddle 

 our horses ; but I soon perceived that the bright moon, 

 across which a bank of clouds was at that moment pass- 

 ing, had deceived me, and accordingly we off-saddled, 

 and in a few minutes I was once more asleep. Toward 

 morning, a smart shower of rain, suddenly falling on 

 my face, broke in abruptly on my slumbers, when we 

 once more arose, and, when day dawned, we saddled 

 up, and held a northerly course. We found the fresh 

 tracks of hyaenas not more than fifteen yards from our 

 horses. Within a hundred yards of our bush we at 

 once discovered the spoor of an old bull gemsbok which 

 had fed past us during the night ; and we had proceeded 

 but a short distance when we discovered a herd of seven 

 noble oryx within a quarter of a mile of us, pasturing 

 in a low hollow ; upon which I directed Cobus to ride 

 round and "jag" them up to me, while I took up a po- 

 sition in front. The oryx presently charged past me ; 

 but Cobus had started after an old bull which I did not 

 see, and which he rode to a stand. To these seven 

 oryx I accordingly gave chase, and before the first mile 

 I was riding within a hundred yards of them. Here 

 we were joined by another fine herd of twenty-two oryx, 

 nearly all full grown, and carrying superb horns. On 

 we swept at a thrilling pace, and, after riding upward of 

 another mile, I pulled up to have a shot ; but " Grouse," 

 which I rode, being very restless, the herd got a long 

 way ahead before I could fire. I however wounded one 

 fine old cow, which I ascertained some hours afterward. 



