42 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
This is where the ignoramus scores. It is well known 
that the tyro at first is often more successful in his 
stalks, and kills, too, for the matter of that, than your 
experienced shikari with years of practice and a mine 
of knowledge to draw on. Fools rush in where angels 
fear to tread — and win too sometimes. 
The herd passed the gap, and, as they did so, slowed 
up a bit to crush through. The buck presented more 
than a sporting shot, his lighter side showing up clear 
against his dark red back. I fired. I heard the “ phut ” 
of the bullet, and knew I had not missed. I began to 
tremble with the after excitements, and rated myself 
soundly for it. I dashed to the gap. The buck— oh, 
where was he ? Gone on, following his companions, 
and all were out of sight. He was seriously wounded, 
there was no doubt, for the blood trail was plain to be 
seen. Clarence joined me, and off we went hot on 
the track. After a long chase we came on a thickish 
bunch of thorns, and my quarry, obviously hard hit, 
bounded out, and was off again like the wind before I 
had an opportunity to bring up my rifle. It was a long 
time before he gave me another, when, catching him 
in fairly open ground, I dropped him with a successful 
shot at some 140 yards, and the buck fell as my first 
prize of the trip. 
Clarence’s pleasure in my success was really genuine, 
and I gave him directions to reserve the head and skin, 
royally presenting him with all the meat. I could not 
at first make out why he so vigorously refused it. I 
made up my mind he had some prejudice against this 
particular variety of antelope. I afterwards found that 
