CHASE AFTER BRYAN. 
201 
I have now only two or three more varieties to kill, 
to have shot every buck I know in Africa. 
5 th .—Had a glorious day on Jack. He carried me 
well up to a troop of roan antelopes, when my gun, 
unfortunately, missed fire. Saw a splendid old bull 
harrisbuck, but lost sight of him in trying to get 
below the wind, and never saw him again. Eode 
far, climbing to the top of the hills; at length, saw 
about twenty-two harrisbucks ; got below the wind 
and within 300 yards, when they took the alarm. 
I had a very long chase of five miles, at least. The 
ground being so bad, and my horse blind, I could 
only go steadily; at length, got them at advantage, 
and put Jack’s powers to the test. He galloped strong 
and well, and as they were thundering down a pass 
between two mountains, through a dry ravine, I got 
within three lengths of the hindmost buck. The 
pace was tremendous. One magnificent old bull I 
had set my heart on, and was close to him. Jack 
drew up short just on the brink of the ravine, and, 
in my hurry to jump off, I got my foot fast in the 
stirrup. I had my back to the bucks, and when I 
had extricated my foot I had lost my bull. I fired 
at a large black-and-tan cow, and either missed her 
altogether or gave her a bad shot. In the middle 
of the chase I almost jumped into an ostrich nest, 
but I could not think about eggs then. On return¬ 
ing to the wagons, I heard Bryan was very sick; he 
had treked away from the wagons, and we lost him, 
though I followed the spoor till dark. I luckily 
