He And I Commenced A Careful Stalk, And
After A Long Circuit I Succeeded In Getting Within Seventy Paces Of The
Herd Of Deer.
The ground was undulating, and they were standing on the
top of a low ridge of hills.
I dropped a buck with my two-ounce rifle,
and the herd immediately disappeared behind the top of the hill. Taking
one of my double-barrelled rifles, which Banda gave me, I ran to the top
of the hill as fast as I could, just in time to see the herd going at a
flying speed along a small valley at a long distance. Another buck was
separated from the herd by about forty paces, and putting up the second
sight of my rifle, I took a shot at him; to my delight he plunged
heavily upon the turf. I fired my remaining barrel at the herd, but I
must have missed, as none fell. I immediately stepped the distance to
the dead buck, 187 paces. I had fired a little too high, and missed his
body, but the ball struck him in the neck and had broken his spine. A
successful flying shot at this distance has a very pretty effect, and
Banda was delighted.
There were very few elephants at this season at the Park, and the
numberless 'ticks' which swarmed in the grass, spoilt all the pleasure
of shooting. These little wretches, which are not larger than a small
grain of gunpowder, find their way to every part of the body, and the
irritation of their bites is indescribable.
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