IX 
KOODOO-STALKING ON G0L1S RANGE 
231 
and whenever I could get a piece of rock large enough to stand 
upon, and see over the high durr grass below, I slowly raised 
myself to an erect position, expecting to see the koodoo and get 
a shot. This manoeuvre had been repeated three times, cautiously, 
so that no sound or brusque movement on our part should 
attract the attention of the koodoo, if he should be in the gorge 
below. As we gained the fourth group of rocks we heard the 
rattle of stones and crash of bushes, and saw, from behind, the 
horns of the koodoo rising and falling amongst the tufts of grass 
as he plunged into the gorge. He paused before reaching the 
bottom, and we were having a whispered argument whether two 
objects showing motionless above the grass were the tips of his 
horns or spears of aloe, when they moved, and he went crashing 
on again. 
Knowing he would have to ascend the opposite side of the 
Y-shaped gorge, as the bushes and aloes were too thick for him 
to go fast along the bottom of the Y to right or left, I jumped 
on to the rock and waited ; springing across, he cantered 
clumsily up the other side, which was very steep. The distance 
was two hundred yards across the gorge, and taking a full sight 
I held the rifle for the withers and pulled trigger. He fell back 
among the rocks and bushes, and though still breathing was 
practically dead ; but to prevent his moving and damaging his 
beautiful horns by rolling among the boulders, I gave him 
another shot. The horns measured 50 inches round the curve, 
35| inches in a straight line from base to tip, and 26J inches 
between tips. 
On 13th June I took a camel and a few necessaries for spend- 
ing the night away from camp ; and after looking for koodoo all 
day we arrived at a lovely little burn half buried in reeds, at 
the base of Banyero Mountain, which is between six thousand 
and six thousand five hundred feet high. This was a charming 
spot, a clear stream flowing over boulders of many colours, there 
being occasionally narrow stretches of red sand, on wdiich were 
imprinted fresh tracks of koodoo and lion. Above, on the side 
of Banyero Mountain, was a precipice two hundred feet or so in 
height, and on the smooth, perpendicular face of this were a 
number of holes and cracks leading into the rock, each tenanted 
by a group of gray-maned, dog-faced baboons, their long tails 
hanging down against the precipice. The crowded clusters of 
baboons, of a blue-gray colour, constantly moving their heads, 
tails, or legs, and chattering at us, formed a curious and lively 
