240 
SOMALILAND 
and disappeared at a great pace into the bushes. To see 
our breakfast, which was, I thought, as good as in our 
mouths, vanish like a dream, was a little too much. I 
yelled for the pony, but the bushes were so thick it was 
impossible to see the oryx. We had to track him on foot. 
There was a little blood, but the track showed that the 
animal was getting away at a great pace without falling. 
After going about a mile, the track suddenly disappeared. 
I turned my head, and there, in the middle of a huge 
thick bush, was the oryx squatting a few yards from me. 
I put a bullet through his neck to put him out of his misery, 
and dragged out the good meat which had so nearly escaped 
us. I ‘ did a smile ’ to see the men making a hearty break- 
fast upon him soon afterwards. But what was one oryx 
among so many hungry mouths ? Every scrap was eaten 
ere we marched again. In. the afternoon the heat was 
intense. 
We marched all day from spring into winter, and from 
winter into spring ; that is to say, every two or three miles 
there had been rain, and here were to be found green 
bashes, trees, and grass, some of the bushes being of the 
