LESSER KOODOO 
241 
most magnificent emerald-green hue. Dozens of extra- 
ordinarily-shaped ant-hills were visible here on every side, 
some of gigantic proportions. In them I pictured several 
Salisbury Cathedral spires, a Tower of London, two or 
three Towers of Pisa, and a Magdalen College, Oxford, all 
appearing to be in a more or less advanced state of 
drunkenness. 
We had been marching through winter, i.e.^ burnt-up 
scrub and dried-up yellow grass, where the bushes were not 
in leaf, and of a grayish- brown colour, for some time, when 
about 4.30 my shikari, who was in front of the pony, stood 
suddenly stock-still. Seizing the rifle from him, I peered 
round a bush. What a picture presented itself before my 
astonished eyes ! Here was an oasis in the desert indeed ! 
A small open space covered with long, brilliant green grass, 
surrounded with thick bushes and trees, all clothed in 
emerald, and in the midst of the picture stood, staring 
intently upon us, one of the most beautiful creatures in 
Somaliland — a lesser koodoo [Stripsiceros carrying 
a magnificent pair of horns. Instantly the tableau reminded 
me of J. G. Millais’s beautiful picture of a big koodoo in 
‘ A Breath from the Yeldt.’ I put the rifle to my shoulder 
(the distance was but 50 yards), took a long, careful aim, 
and pressed the trigger. At the same instant the antelope 
bounded away. I had made a clean miss 1 At first I 
almost tore my hair, until I reflected that, at any rate, I 
had not spoilt that beautiful picture. We followed the 
spoor for a long way, and then gave it up. 
Immediately after I caught sight of a second lesser 
koodoo. But it disappeared behind a bush. My shikari 
got into a wild state of excitement. ‘ Shoot, shoot !’ he 
cried. I could see nothing. He pointed, and implored me 
to fire. The setting sun w^as in my eyes ; I saw nothing 
but a bush. I thought my shikari would have gone mad. 
He wrung his hands, stamped his feet, pointed, and gesticu- 
lated. The koodoo heard the noise, bounded from the bush, 
and dashed away. I saw him then at once, fired, and made 
16 
