264 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
that were out betimes to breakfast. A somnolent 
hartebeest stood up out of range behind a clump of 
active aoul. Then we worked our way very gently to 
a spot which gave us a clearer view. We lay down 
awhile, glad of the rest, and watched the little harems 
quarrel and make it up. Sometimes a buck of detective- 
like propensities would seem to say, 44 I spy strangers,” 
and communicated his alarm to the entire herd. A 
perfect note of interrogation animated every one for 
a few moments, and all would gather together, until a 
buck skipped towards us, and then in active graceful 
bounds dash back to bring a pal to help investigation. 
Satisfied, they rejoined the admiring does again. 
But that hartebeest ! I longed to get near him, but 
it seemed a hopeless task. His sleepiness had passed, 
and now he was all ears and eyes. The sun lit up his 
glossy coat, and caught the odd twist of his horns until 
they gleamed again. We stalked in vain for an hour 
or more. My arm was a great drawback to me, but I 
would not allow it to hamper me, and played the 
Christian Science dodge on myself, saying, whenever 
a particularly acute shoot of agony stabbed me, 44 You 
only think you have pain.” At last we hit on a device 
for ensnaring the active one. He was taking no 
chances, and that the best laid plans gang aft agley 
we know. Still my schemes and machinations were 
rather disorganised for the moment, because I suddenly 
realised I was sharing my small portion of the earth’s 
surface with a particularly nasty looking snake ! It 
was quite large enough to rout us both, and we should 
have fled, I know, had not the reptile manifested a 
