/ SHOOT AN ‘OWL ’ FOR THE POT 
8i 
requested to be allowed to carry a rifle, as he asserted that 
we might now encounter Gallas at any moment, that they 
were hostile, and that their young men were not allowed to 
marry until they had killed a man, so that the youngsters 
were always very eager to get ' first blood ’ out of any 
stranger they might meet. The Gallas have a nasty habit 
of stalking one, and in the event of a kill they cut off a 
piece of one’s flesh and present it to the fair damsel, as 
a proof that they have killed a man ! 
Tsetse fly was reported to infest the country a little 
further on. My headman assured me that, as a preventive 
against the poison of this dreadful little pest, sheep’s fat 
should be rubbed over the horses and especially poured 
into the ears. I let him do this, as he seemed so confident 
about it, but remarked that it attracted other kinds of flies 
by the dozen. Being an old Etonian, I celebrated the 
Fourth of June with a bottle of champagne ! 
The mornings were now overclouded, and there was 
always a gentle wind, consequently it was comparatively 
cool and pleasant. During the night I heard zebra neighing 
close to camp ; but, although we hunted everywhere next 
morning, we could not find them. We saw three ostriches, 
which bounded away among the bushes before I could shoot. 
These magnificent birds appeared to be fairly plentiful about 
here. We next sighted some oryx, and shortly after a 
koodoo, but had no luck with them. Wanting meat, and 
seeing three ‘ owl ’ close to me on the right, I sat down and 
let drive at the biggest, breaking both his fore-legs, when 
he rushed along at an amazing pace for an animal so dis- 
abled, ploughing up the dust as he dashed headlong through 
the sand into the high grass. We found it very difficult ' 
to get hold of his horns, and when this was at length 
accomplished, the kicks from his hind-legs were so violent 
that we had to let him go. He jumped up and bolted 
again. I threw down my rifle, and, fairly racing after him, 
tackled him by the hinddegs as I threw myself upon him 
in true Bugby football style. My shikari then ran up and 
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