84 
ON SAFARI 
(presumably on flints) a group of Grant’s gazelles 
(Gazella granti hrighti —to give them their correct 
title). These, perceiving us, and perhaps mistaking our 
khaki-clad forms, prone on the earth, for crouching 
lions, advanced to mob their deadly enemy as small 
birds mob a hawk. Their short, petulant “ wuff, wuff,” 
attracted my attention, and, looking round through eyes 
near blinded with perspiration, I saw a score of these 
graceful antelopes within fifty yards, angrily barking 
and stamping their slender feet. This demonstration was 
being carried out in full view of our oryx, and I have 
no doubt monopolised their rapt attention during the 
fateful minutes while we gained the shelter of the 
aloes. 
Thence, aiming between intervals of the spiky aloe 
tops, I fired the shot that gave me my first oryx. It 
was the female that fell, with a bullet high on the 
shoulder. The bull bounced off, but shortly pulled up, 
awaiting his consort. The distance was still under 
200 yards, and I might at once have secured my pair 
without further trouble, but for the freak of my gun- 
bearer, Elmi Hassan. He, being a Somali and good 
Mohammedan, must needs get his knife into any animal 
before it was actually dead. Consequently, with all eyes 
on “meat” and the still struggling cow, but none for 
the grand bull standing beyond, he was already racing 
in, thus ruining my chance of a second shot. It was 
not the first time he had offended thus, but I put the 
matter in such clear terms that it was the last. This 
oryx (female) carried horns of 31 ins. in length, span 
11 ins. between tips. 
As the bull continued to hover about on the horizon, 
I followed on; but after two hours’ pursuit he suddenly 
changed his mind and went off at speed, disappearing in 
the distance. During all this time the herd of gazelles 
had kept in close attendance on the larger animal, and 
as they now remained alone I directed my attention to 
them. This was, perhaps, rather unhandsome conduct, 
seeing the assistance they had rendered me in securing 
