TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 261 
the fact that there were not enough of them to 
go round. We had to trench on the water-supply a 
little after this entertainment, for a wash was an 
absolute necessity. 
Next day a somewhat untoward incident occurred. 
Cecily and I had detached from a herd of three a fine 
bull oryx, who by reason of some infirmity was not 
so fleet as his fellows, and so made an easier quarry. 
Such a glorious chase he gave us, and more than once 
we almost took a toss as the ponies groped for a foot- 
hold in the maze of ant bear holes. 
At last, to cut what promised to be a never-ending 
chase, I flung myself off the pony at the nearest point 
I judged we should ever get to the coveted oryx this 
way, and taking no sort of a sight, I was so out of 
breath with the shaking of my steed, brought down 
the antelope in a crumpled heap at a distance of some 
two hundred and ten yards. This was not so bad, all 
things considered. We went up close to the fallen 
creature. I had my hand through the reins of my 
prodigiously blowing pony, and most injudiciously 
ranged alongside. Cecily was still mounted. The 
splendid bull rose from the dead, erect and firm, and 
I was given no sort of a chance to protect myself 
before he made for me with lowered horns. It all 
happened in the twinkling of an eye. I jumped as 
clear as I could, but the reins entangled me, and the 
vicious horns caught my left arm as my foe swept 
along. I was brought to my knees with the impact. 
As he pulled up in a great slide to turn for a return 
joust Cecily dropped him, at such close quarters 
