CHAP. XXI. 
THE GRAND BATTUE. 
201 
us at about 200 yards. His Royal Highness took aim 
at him, and brought the big beast down most splen¬ 
didly. 
The wildebeast is a most ferocious-looking animal, 
and appears to be twice the size he really is. He has 
a mane and deep dewlap, which help to magnify his size. 
On the 29th we had another long day, and with it 
much shooting. You saw everybody racing after herds 
of game in all directions, and the great chance was to 
head the game where they crossed rivers or creeks, for 
where the leading one crossed he would generally be 
followed by the whole herd. We generally galloped in 
a body, dismounted abreast of them, and then there 
was a regular fusillade. You can generally hear when 
the balls tell from the *• thud ’ sound, but you cannot see 
the effect by reason of the clouds of dust. On this 
occasion only one great beast lay rolling on his back, 
but as the herd passed on we saw several falling to the 
rear, and each of us singled out one of these wounded 
ones. The Prince followed a great bull, who turned on 
him, and I watched the result with much anxiety. 
A Cape Mounted Hottentot soldier always followed the 
Prince, and on this occasion diverted the fury of the 
wildebeast, which first charged at one and then at the 
other ; and as it was difficult to shoot him from horseback 
His Royal Highness most pluckily dismounted not 
twenty yards from the animal and bowled him over 
