His Antlers Matched Exactly With
Those I Had Last Shot.
I turned towards the direction of the tent, and, descending to the bed
of the river, I followed the course of the stream upon the margin of dry
sand.
I had proceeded about half a mile, when I noticed at about 150
paces some object moving about the trunk of a large fallen tree which
lay across the bed of the river. This stem was about five feet in
diameter, and I presently distinguished the antlers and then the head of
a large buck, as they appeared above it; he had been drinking in the
stream on the opposite side, and he now raised his head, sniffing the
fresh breeze. It was a tempting shot, and taking a very steady aim I
fired. For a moment he was down, but recovering himself he bounded up
the bank, and was soon in full speed through the forest with only one
antler upon his head. I picked up the fellow-antler, which the
rifle-ball had cut off within an inch of his skull. This was a narrow
escape.
I did not reload my rifle, as I was not far from the tent, and I was
tired of shooting. Giving my rifle to the gun-bearer, I took the
double-barrelled gun which he carried, and walked quickly towards
breakfast. Suddenly I heard a crash in a small nook of thick bushes,
like the rush of an elephant, and the next instant a buck came rushing
by in full speed; his long antlers lay upon his back as he flew through
the tangled saplings with a force that seemed to defy resistance.
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