African Game Trails 
to going in the water, although it would ant-hills. In a few minutes we saw an im- 
cross the river fearlessly whenever it de- palla buck, and I crept up behind an ant- 
sired; it was, however, always found not hill and obtained a shot at about two hun- 
very far from water. It liked the woods dred and fifty yards. The buck dropped, 
and did not go many miles from the streams, and as I was putting in another cartridge I 
yet we frequently saw it said to Judd that I did- 
on the open plains a mile n’t like to see an animal 
or two from trees, feed- drop like that, so instan- 
ing in the vicinity of the 
zebra and the harte- 
beest. This was, how¬ 
ever, usually quite early 
in the morning or quite 
late in the afternoon. In 
the heat of the day it 
clearly preferred to be 
in the forest, along the 
stream’s edge, or in the 
bush-clad ravines. 
taneously, as there was 
always the possibility 
that it might only be 
creased, and that if an 
animal so hurt got up, it 
always went off exactly 
as if unhurt. When we 
raised our eyes again to 
look for the impalla it 
had vanished. I was 
sure that we would never 
see it again, and Judd 
felt much the same way, 
but we walked in the di¬ 
rection toward which its 
head had been pointed, 
and Judd ascended an 
ant-hill to scan the sur¬ 
rounding country with 
his glasses. He did so, 
and after a minute re¬ 
marked that he could 
not see the wounded im¬ 
palla; .when a sudden 
movement caused him 
to look down, and there 
The impalla are found 
in exactly the same kind 
of country as the water- 
buck, and often associate 
with them. To my mind 
they are among the most 
beautiful of all antelope. 
They are about the size 
of a white-tailed deer, 
their beautiful annulated 
horns making a single 
spiral, and their coat is 
like satin with its con¬ 
trasting shades of red 
and white. They have 
v-buck bull shot by 
Roosevelt. 
the most graceful movements of any animal it was, lying at his very feet, on the side of the 
I know, and it is extraordinary to see a herd ant-hill, unable to rise. I had been using a 
start off when frightened, making bounds sharp-pointed bullet in the Springfield, and 
clear over large-sized bushes. Usually a this makes a big hole. The bullet had gone 
single old buck will be found with a large too far back, penetrating the hips. I should 
company of does and fawns; the other not have wondered at all if the animal had 
bucks go singly or in small parties. It was failed to get up, but I did not understand- 
in the middle of May, and we saw fawns of why, if recovered enough from the shock to 
all ages. When in the open, where, like the be able to get up at all, it had not continued 
water-buck, it often went in the morning to travel, instead of falling after going one 
and evening, the impalla was very shy, but hundred yards. Indeed, I am inclined to 
I did not find it particularly so among the think that a deer or prong-buck, hit in the 
woods. In connection with shooting two same fashion, would have gone off and 
of the impalla, there are little incidents would have given a long chase before being 
which are perhaps worthy of mention. overtaken. Judging from what others have 
In one case I had just killed a water- said, I have no doubt that African game 
buck cow, hitting it at a considerable dis- is very tough and succumbs less easily to 
tance and by a lucky fluke, after a good wounds than is the case with animals of the 
deal of bad shooting. We started the por- northern temperate zone; but in my own 
ters in with the water-buck, and then rode limited experience, I three times saw Afri- 
west through an open country, dotted here can antelopes succumb to wounds quicker 
and there with trees and with occasional than the average northern animal would 
