I saw a splendid buck
coming along with a doe by his side; - she protected him from the shot
as they came on at right angles with the gun; but knowing that the ball
would go through her and reach him on the other side, I fired at her
shoulder, - she fell dead to the shot, but he went off scatheless. I now
found that Richarn had loaded the gun with twenty mould shot instead of
ball; - these were confined in a cartridge, and had killed her on the
spot.
I had thus bagged five antelopes; and, cutting off the heads of the
bucks, we left the bodies for the natives, who were anxiously watching
us from a distance, but afraid to approach. The antelope first shot that
was nearer to the boat, we dragged on board, with the assistance of ten
or twelve men. The buck was rather larger than an average
donkey; - colour, black, with a white patch across the withers; - a white
crown to the head; white round the eyes; chest black, but belly white;
the horns about two feet four inches long, and bending gracefully
backwards.
A few days after this incident we arrived at the junction of the Bahr el
Gazal, and turning sharp to the east, we looked forward to arriving at
the extraordinary obstruction that since our passage in 1863 had dammed
the White Nile.
