178 
SOMALILAND 
dust for over an hour and look on a show of horsemanship 
which never varies in the slightest detail, the prize appar- 
ently going to the man who can hit his wretched pony the 
hardest. After it is over one has to fork out one’s tohes or 
rupees as presents. 
When all the horsemen had gone, we went out quail - 
shooting in the long grass. There were a good number 
about, and they offered most sporting shots. 
Next day I went along the edge of the thick bush looking 
for lion or leopard tracks, but saw none, so left the bush 
and walked out into the open. In the middle of this large 
plain I saw a huge herd of oryx, and by crawling through 
the long grass I got some 500 yards off them. As several 
stood broadside on, I opened fire at them. They took little 
notice of the slight noise made by the Mannlicher, and 
after firing ten cartridges with the 500 yards sight up 
without result, I put up the 700 yards sight and hit one 
first shot. Contrary to my usual custom, I did not measure 
the exact distance, but I am fully convinced it must have 
been 500 yards from me 1 The wounded oryx lay down, 
and in spite of yells to my shikari to stop, he insisted upon 
running towards it to give it a good Iiallal. The result was 
as I anticipated. Up jumped the oryx, and got away at an 
amazing pace, my shikari being well in the line of my fire. 
Mounting the pony, I had a magnificent gallop, and at 
length brought the antelope to bay, when my shikari ran 
up and shot him at the third attempt. The horns measured 
30^ inches. 
After a weary tramp home, which I reached at length 
very tired, I found a large crowd of men surrounding our 
pond and throwing large stones into it amid a scene of 
great excitement. On coming up, I found one of our 
wretched camel-men with his head streaming with blood, 
coming out of the water. The order had been that nobody 
should bathe in our drinking water, which order had been 
disobeyed by this man, who seized a spear and threatened 
anyone who came near him. 
