206 
SAVAGE SUDAN 
possessed by my pal, Mr Willoughby Lowe. The 
following faithfully describes this fine performance. When 
first sighted, the enemy, five in number, were distant 
500 yards and among scrub that concealed all but their 
necks. They were already moving away, alarmed, and 
in an ordinary sporting sense presented no sort of chance 
whatever. That circumstance in no way disconcerted 
my expert friend-—if a creature exists that has to be 
“collected,” then Lowe may be trusted to collect it. 
With sights set' at 700 yards, he opened rapid 
magazine-fire, sending volley after volley right over the 
heads of the flying foe, each bullet plugging into the 
sun-dried soil beyond and throwing up terrifying spurts 
of dust and broken boughs. This tornado close in front 
appeared to the ostriches yet more fearsome than the 
distant pom-pomming behind and soon they wheeled to 
seek a safer course to starboard. The change brought 
no relief. With altered line of aim, that ceaseless series 
of concussions and explosions was renewed on the fresh 
front—earthquakes, the bewildered Struthios may well 
have thought them. Whichever way they turned the 
very earth ahead seemed to spurt forth in geysers. At 
length, in sheer panic and perplexity, the whole quintette, 
moving at hurricane speed, crossed full broadside at 200 
yards, and the biggest got a bullet amidships. Later 
I witnessed a similar performance with a hyena. Bullets 
rained around him till finally two went through him! 
Such shooting-practice (and extravagance in ammuni¬ 
tion !) was something entirely new to me; but for the 
purpose in hand it was a magnificent performance, even 
though from a strictly sporting standpoint a critic may 
exclaim, “Cest magnifique mais ce nest pas la guerre” 
That, of course, is not, in this case, the point. Here 
the essential was to secure a particular specimen. As 
regards game , I have before expressed the view (and 
stand to it solidly) that the repeating rifle is unfair and 
should be barred in every hunting-field. 
