206 
ON SAFAKI 
accurate from the vantage-height of the saddle. I had 
scarce ridden a mile than I found myself nearer far to 
two first-rate hartebeest bulls than I had ever been in all 
my strenuous hunting on foot ! They stood with heads 
up, watching me, but otherwise showing no signs of 
alarm. On arriving at a range judged (quite accurately) 
to be 125 yards, I slipped from the saddle and dropped 
both bulls wdtli a single ball apiece. The second 
presently regained his legs, and, though receiving another 
bullet, moved slowly off some 500 yards, where he lay 
down. I could just see his angular bracket-shaped 
horns over a rise in the ground from near where we 
stood, so decided to leave him to stiffen while we 
off-skinned the first. 
In case it may appear cruel to leave an animal thus 
in pain, I reply that this was the safest plan to secure 
him, and thus end his pain. To chase a newly-wounded 
beast hot-foot is a sure way to lose him. 
With chagrin we observed lialf-an-hour later that 
twelve fresh animals had joined the wounded one, and 
that all thirteen were on foot. Hamisi’s keen eye, 
however, saved the situation, for he never lost sight of 
the dark splash on the wounded bull’s pale-coloured 
quarters, and presently I finished him with a ball in the 
neck at 180 yards. The three bulls secured this morning 
were all first-rate specimens of Bubalis cokei , their horns 
taping 17£, 17 \ and 16f ins. respectively. The span 
varied from 11 to 13 ins., and the basal circumference 
8f to 9 ins. Weight estimated at 300 to 350 lbs. 
apiece. 
The hour was now 7.45, so, leaving some “boys” 
to bring in the meat and skins, I rode on towards the 
wildebeests, still tw T o miles distant. Presently we sighted 
them, feeding beyond a wide grassy hollow. But what 
was my disappointment to find, on advancing, that in 
that hollow there ran the Uganda railway, which marks, 
at this point, the boundary of the Game-Feserve, and all 
beyond was sacred ! For a moment I admit having 
regarded the situation with mixed ideas that may be 
