ns with regard to them. I was scouting against the wind, of
course, and had hopes of getting my shot in--the first I had ever fired
at this particular species. I made for a boulder which lay between
myself and the herd, and creeping most cautiously and slowly (for I was
really keen to succeed), I reached it without alarming the timid
animals, which were now scarcely four hundred yards away. Very carefully
I raised myself from the snake-like attitude in which I had made my
advance, in order to risk a peep over the edge of the rock, for I must
lay my exact plan of campaign, so that I might make sure of another
couple of hundred yards, which distance gained, I was going to fire my
shot.

I had risen from my crouching attitude, and was about half-way to the
upright, when all of a sudden the world seemed to come to an end and
break up into stars and giddy whirlings, accompanied by sharp pains in
the back, flights through space, and terrific thunderous sounds in my
very ears. I was conscious of turning a double or triple somersault, of
alighting face-down on the long grass, of a heavy weight leaning upon my
neck and spine, of pain, stiffness, semi-consciousness, of a continuous
noise as though a motor-car lay and throbbed and whirred on the top of
me. What had happened?'

I lay and wondered for a few minutes. Had there been a volcanic
eruption? Were bits of it lying upon me and pinning me down? Would there
be another upheaval in a moment; more steely-blue stars and another
flight, and then--the end? If so, I wished it would come quickly and not
leave me in suspense, and, oh! if only the horrible whirring noise at
my ear would only stop for a minute. My head ached as though it would
burst. I opened my eyes, but could see nothing but the stalks of yellow
grass in which my face was buried.

Was I sufficiently alive--had I energy enough to move, to raise my
aching head a little way in order to look around a bit? For a few
minutes I could not summon sufficient strength to stir a finger; I felt
paralysed and utterly bereft of the power to set my muscles working.
Gradually, however, I began to feel a little better, the noise at my ear
ceased and let peace in; a delightful calm followed, and with it
consciousness gradually returned.

I raised my head a few inches; instantly something came in violent
contact with the back of my skull, dealing me a stunning blow; at the
same time a crash of thunder reverberated at my ear, and again