/ SHOOT AN ORYX 
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straight line, making a record head from Somaliland. Soon 
after the fall of this monarch of the mountains the men 
came down the hill with the precious fluid, and I sat under 
the shade of a tree during the skinning operation, and 
thoroughly enjoyed a good pull at my bottle. After a long 
and very arduous climb we reached the top again, and did 
not reach camp until after dark. 
Early next morning I started for the Webbi Shebeyli, or 
Leopard River. After following a small dried-up river-bed 
for several miles, we reached a large pool of water in it 
shaded by trees, and seeing tracks round it of countless 
game, we walked over the river-bank, and immediately saw 
two oryx staring at us about 120 yards away. They were 
kind enough to allow me to dismount, load my rifle, sit 
down, and take a steady aim, when I struck both, right 
and left, but we eventually lost one of them. 
After this we passed over the everlasting rough, stony 
ground until we came to a cone-shaped hill with the top 
cut off. The remaining top w^as covered with a light yellow 
stone, whereas the base was dark, and at a distance it 
reminded me exactly of the great Fujyama, the sacred 
volcano of Japan, on a small scale. From the top of this 
cone we got a grand view of the surrounding country. To 
the south of us was a huge gorge, or nullah, at the bottom 
of which ran the great river of Somaliland, the Webbi 
Shebeyli. To the east stood out the great mountain range 
called the Nagob, and south of it the curious-shaped Mount 
Culdush. As I looked upon the vast sea of trees below me, 
there emerged from the bushes two zebras, which majesti- 
cally walked past the cone-shaped hill I sat upon ; but I let 
them pass unharmed, as I could not find the heart to spoil 
so grand a picture. 
Coming down from the hill, we soon reached a huge 
nullah, at the bottom of which trickled a small river which 
joined the Webbi Shebeyli close at hand. To the bottom 
of this nullah we essayed to march, intending to follow its 
course to the big river, which we wished to cross. But we 
8 
