SPRING-BOK SHOOTING. 121 



opportunity not to be resisted : leaving, therefore, 

 directions with our driver as to the track he should 

 pursue, I mounted my horse, taking a Hottentot 

 with me, and rode towards the herd. Having 

 succeeded in dividing them, I observed a group of 

 fifteen or twenty intently gazing at me, about one 

 hundred and fifty yards distant. I fired, and the 

 ball seemed to have struck one, but they all neverthe- 

 less continued to make off, bounding swiftly over the 

 plain, until I noticed that one staggered and fell. 

 On coming up I found, to my surprise, that the ball 

 had entered its breast, and passed through its side. 

 Peat, the Hottentot, who had again been pursuing 

 one he had shot, returned without success, much to 

 his disappointment, which was, however, in some 

 measure relieved on finding that one at least of the 

 herd was destined for our use. 



Evening had now begun to close in, with the ap- 

 pearance of a thunder-storm. Fastening, therefore, 

 the spring-bok across the horse's back, we took the 

 nearest route to overtake the waggon, which by this 

 time had considerably advanced, and was completely 

 out of sight. Our horses being without shoes, and 

 having for the last few days passed over much rough 

 ground, their feet had become extremely tender, so 

 that it was with difficulty we could get them along. 

 On regaining the track, we found the reimschoon, or 

 iron slipper, which had fallen from the waggon, 

 lying in the road, and were under the necessity of 



