d I saw him rushing across a flat piece of ground:
presently he would be at the right place to meet them. I stopped, to
be in readiness to cut them off on the other side if they should face
about and make off northward again. There were six splendid animals,
a big buck in front. They were heading straight for Sverdrup, who was
now crouching down on the slope. I expected every moment to see the
foremost fall. A shot rang out! Round wheeled the whole flock like
lightning, and back they came at a gallop. It was my turn now to run
with all my might, and off I went over the stones, down towards the
valley we had come from. I only stopped once or twice to take breath,
and to make sure that the animals were coming in the direction I had
reckoned on--then off again. We were getting near each other now;
they were coming on just where I had calculated; the thing now was
to be in time for them. I made my long legs go their fastest over the
boulders, and took leaps from stone to stone that would have surprised
myself at a more sober moment. More than once my foot slipped, and
I went down head first among the boulders, gun and all. But the wild
beast in me had the upper hand now. The passion of the chase vibrated
through every fibre of my body.

We reached the slant of the valley almost at the same time--a leap or
two to get up on some big boulders, and the moment had come--I must
shoot, though the shot was a long one. When the smoke cleared away I
saw the big buck trailing a broken hind-leg. When their leader stopped,
the whole flock turned and ran in a ring round the poor animal. They
could not understand what was happening, and strayed about wildly with
the balls whistling round them. Then off they went down the side of
the valley again, leaving another of their number behind with a broken
leg. I tore after them, across the valley and up the other side, in
the hope of getting another shot, but gave that up and turned back to
make sure of the two wounded ones. At the bottom of the valley stood
one of the victims awaiting its fate. It looked imploringly at me, and
then, just as I was going forward to shoot it, made off much quicker
than I could have thought it possible for an animal on three legs
to go. Sure of my shot, of course I missed; and now began a chase,
which ended in the poor beast, blocked in every other direction,
rushing down towards the sea and wading into a small lagoon on the
shore, whence I feared it might get righ