STALKING SABLE ANTELOPES. 219 



me," and at last I got close in upon them. I eould then 

 have had a fine shot at several of the does, but I want- 

 ed the old black buck. I aimed for his heart, but an 

 unlucky branch intervened, and, altering the line of my 

 ball, lost me this most noble animal. I, however, fired 

 a snap shot at him with my left barrel, and sent a bul- 

 let through his flank. The herd then dashed down the 

 mountain side, making a tremendous rumpus among 

 the loose masses of rook, the old buck leaving a bloody 

 spoor. I did not disturb them further then, the sun 

 being under, but returned to my home beneath the 

 greenwood tree. 



I followed the old buck up next day, but without suc- 

 cess, and on the 31st I determined to return to my 

 wagons. Accordingly, at dawn of day I rolled up my 

 bedding, and, directing my Bechuanas to go and call 

 Bakalahari to carry my flesh and impedimenta to camp, 

 I held a southwesterly course across the mountains with 

 Ruyter and a Bechuana boy. This morning richly re- 

 paid me for all my toil and exertions in following the 

 sable antelope throughout these stony and rugged 

 mountains. Having proceeded about a mile down the 

 wind, on looking over a height which commanded a 

 fine view of well-wooded, undulating table-land below 

 me, I had the sincere pleasure to behold a beautiful 

 herd of sable antelopes feeding quietly up the wind 

 within a quarter of a mile of me. The herd consisted 

 of seven does and one coal-black magnificent old buck. 

 Even at the distance at which they then were, I could 

 very plainly see that this buck was a most superb spec- 

 imen ; his horns seemed almost too large for him, and 

 swept back over his shoulders with a determined and 

 perfect curve. 



I sat some time to watch their movements, and gazed 



