XXI 
AFRICAN ANTELOPES 
1 85 
enemy, he turned round with astonishment to 
inspect his fallen friend. This turned the broad¬ 
side towards me, and again I fired. If a sledge¬ 
hammer had struck the skull, the animal could 
not have succumbed more suddenly. This had 
a very pretty effect at so long a distance, as the 
right and left had been fired within about ten 
seconds, and both of these fine bulls lay stretched 
upon the ground. 
I never like to see an animal fall apparently stone 
dead without the slightest struggle, as it is generally 
paralysed for the moment, but quickly recovers, 
and escapes : I accordingly ran towards the spot, 
and immediately perceived Julian Baker and 
Higginbotham racing across the rutty ground, 
hurrying to the scene. We soon met. The first 
buck was shot through the centre of the shoulder : 
had he been a target, the bullet would have made 
a bull’s-eye. We went a few paces to the right to 
examine the last shot. I had missed the shoulder, 
and the bullet had struck the middle of the neck. 
We were standing together, admiring the massive 
proportions of this fine water-buck, when, without 
the slightest warning or preparatory struggle, it 
jumped up and started off at full gallop. In another 
second it dropped dead, with a bullet in the back 
of the neck, as fortunately I had reloaded. 
This was a curious example of an instantaneous 
recovery from the stunning effect of a shot in the 
neck. My rifle was a wonderfully accurate weapon, 
but it was in the early days of breechloaders, and 
