XX 
THE ANTELOPE 
169 
with the binocular glasses a small knot of people, 
with a dog following behind. 
Upon our arrival we found a number of 
natives carrying a black-buck slung upon a long 
pole, all four legs being lashed together, and 
behind the little crowd was our dog Cabre, who 
had run the buck down single - handed and 
seized it in a nullah, close to a village. The 
natives had secured it, and were bringing it in 
triumph to my camp, a distance of 3 miles. 
The buck was still alive, as these people, being 
Hindoos, had declined to kill it. This was one 
of Cabre’s early performances; after which he 
quickly became distinguished. 
The antelopes are all more or less bullet- 
despisers; if they are not struck in the right 
place, they exhibit a wonderful tenacity of purpose 
and of life; but the black-buck is exceedingly 
difficult to kill with certainty. If there is any 
covert within reach, it will attain the shelter, to 
die a miserable death, unless it is shot through 
the lungs, heart, or neck. It is a small animal, 
and, being wary, it is seldom that a shot is 
obtained within 100 or 120 yards. The 
mark, to be fatal, will be limited to 3 inches 
square, or at the outside 4 inches. Distance 
upon a flat plain is deceptive, therefore it is 
necessary to possess a small-bore Express of the 
highest velocity to ensure a flat trajectory. In 
my opinion a *400 bore with 4 drams of powder 
is the best rifle for this sport. This is the only 
