^OWL ’ GAZELLE 
^5 
to find them just beyond it, but, as a matter of fact, they 
always ran on until they got behind the next bush, through 
which they would peep at us. In this way they would 
lead us on for miles. My plan would have been to crawl 
on hands and knees — a very slow and arduous task, I 
admit, upon thorny rocky ground — but the gazelle are 
then so inquisitive that they must stand and stare at the 
unaccustomed sight of a man crawling along the ground 
towards them. At 5.30 we encamped for the night, and I 
went to bed with prickly heat and thoroughly tired out. 
As we had to get to water, we had to march quickly over 
this dry, parched-up desert country, although it was 
extremely trying both to men and animals. 
Next morning we marched from 4 till 9.30, through deep 
nullahs, and for the most part up a gradually ascending 
slope. Trees began to be visible. When day broke we 
saw an 'owl’ gazelle {Gazella soeineringii), one of the 
finest gazelles in the country ; but we did not go out of 
our way to follow him, as the men told me I should 
encounter hundreds further on. Because I had not my 
gun out, we saw dozens of dik-dik antelopes, so in the 
afternoon I fetched it out, and of course saw next to none. 
There were so many beautiful birds about when we 
encamped for the mid-day rest that I went after them, 
and bagged about half a dozen. What a trouble the little 
wretches are to skin under a hot sun, to be sure ! 
We restarted at 1, and marched on till 5.30. On the 
way I saw some enormous black and white spiders. I shot 
a small bustard, which I skinned myself, as my skin-man 
pulled all the feathers out of the birds I gave him to do, 
and had not the faintest idea of the art, although he said 
before leaving Berbera that he was most proficient. 
At 5.30, after having passed several caravans of camels 
laden with skins, and protected by natives armed with 
spears, and carrying little circular shields, we reached the 
first water I had seen since leaving Berbera. There, sure 
enough, in a dried-up river-bed, was to be found for the 
