-buck standing in a shallow pool of the river. It was the first
time I had seen one of these fine antelope, and I was delighted with
the sight. I might have got twenty yards or so nearer, but I thought I
had better not risk moving, so I aimed at the shoulder and fired. The
buck gave one leap into the air, and then turned and galloped quickly
behind an island which completely hid him from view. We waited for him
to clear the rushes at the other end of this island, but as he did not
appear I got impatient and plunged into the river, regardless of
crocodiles or anything else. On rounding the island, however, he was
nowhere to be seen, and had evidently turned off while in the shelter
of the reeds and so gained the opposite bank. I was keenly disappointed
at my failure, for it was impossible to follow him up: to do so we
should have had to make a long detour to get across the river, and by
that time darkness would have set in. This incident shows the great
drawback to the .303--namely, that it has very little knock-down effect
unless it strikes a vital part; and even then, in a bush country, an
animal may manage to go far enough to be lost. On the other hand, an
animal wounded with a hard bullet is likely to make a speedy recovery,
which is a great blessing.

Mahina was even more upset at the escape of the buck than I was, and as
we trudged back through the sand to our tree, he was full of gloomy
forebodings of an unlucky night. By the light of a splendid full moon
we settled ourselves on a great outspreading branch, and commenced our
vigil. Soon the jungle around us began to be alive with its peculiar
sounds--a night bird would call, a crocodile shut his jaws with a snap,
or a rhino or hippo crash through the bushes on its way to the water:
now and again we could even hear the distant roar of the lion. Still
there was nothing to be seen.

After waiting for some considerable time, a great hippo at last made
his appearance and came splashing along in our direction, but
unfortunately took up his position behind a tree which, in the most
tantalising way, completely hid him from view. Here he stood tooting
and snorting and splashing about to his heart's content. For what
seemed hours I watched for this ungainly creature to emerge from his
covert, but as he seemed determined not to show himself I lost patience
and made up my mind to go down after him. I therefore handed my rifle
to Mahina to lower to me on reaching the ground,