Rock Rabbits
He was a splendid sight as he lay extended on the remains of the bush into which he had crashed, his horns measuring 52 inches and 53 inches respectively round the curve, and 3 feet 1 inch in a straight line from base to tip, and 37 inches between tips; and his massive neck was adorned with a fine white and brown beard. There was a slight malformation in the hoof of his right foreleg which accounted for his lameness, but did not much interfere with his speed when galloping.
We carried his head back to camp in the dusk, leaving three men to skin him; and we sent back all the Esa Musa, whom we could collect in the valley below on our way to camp, telling them to go up and scramble for the meat.
Having now bagged three good bull koodoos in three weeks, which is about the usual rate of successful and lucky koodoo stalking in these mountains, and my leave being up, I went in three short marches to Berbera, and a week later caught a steamer to Aden.
A Herd of Water Antelope
CHAPTER X
SECOND JOURNEY TO THE WEBBE SHABÉLEH RIVER, 1893
The new caravan—Pass Lord Delamere’s party—Captain Abud in camp at Hargeisa—Sheikh Mattar—Cross the Haud, and arrive at Seyyid Mahomed’s town in Ogádén—Holy reputation—Why the Somális have no Mahdi—Scene at the Seyyid’s town—Native impression of some European travellers—Every European a doctor—Malingúr mission to Harar—Ruspoli’s men seized—Jáma Deria’s Englishman—Reach the Webbe and bag a waterbuck—Friendly Gilimiss Somális—First news of the Webbe bushbuck—Shooting a crocodile—Great beauty of our camp on the Webbe banks—Gálla raids on the Gilimiss—The crossing of the Webbe at Karanleh—Unexpected Gálla news—Entertain Gálla chiefs in camp; a defiant speech—A Gálla trip planned—Fresh hippo tracks in the reeds—A waterbuck swims the Webbe; a noble buck—Sad death of a horse—The Aulihán—A row in camp—Unsuccessful buffalo hunting—Wounded waterbuck struck down by a lion—Starving negroes eat the carrion—Disturbed country; the Gálla trip impracticable—Recross the Webbe—Driving for bushbuck—A fine wart-hog bagged—A man seized by a lion; extraordinary story—A leopard bagged—A buck killed by leopards before our eyes—A row at Garbo—Success of the Lee-Metford—The Awáré pan; beautiful hunting ground—Lions roaring at night—Unsuccessful lion hunts—Magnificent lion shot; a surprising leap—Abundance of lions—Return to Berbera; and go to England.