ance that I did not try a shot for some time; at
length, seeing that they were going away, I rode at a point for which
they were making. I had to keep my horse at full gallop to hold my
position with them, although they seemed to be merely cantering. There
was a little opening between two hills, and for this the hartebeest
appeared to be steering; making a grand push, I passed a little ahead of
them, and, jumping off, got a double shot at the string as they dashed
past. I saw that the result was a hind-leg of a fine bull-hartebeest
broken. He went gallantly away on three legs, but I certainly did not
doubt but that I should be more than a match for him with the horse's
four. I lost a little ground by dismounting, and before I had loaded
again, the herd had passed out of sight over some rising ground.

Upon again viewing the hartebeest, I was alarmed at the start they had
obtained; they were mere specks in the distance. Feeling great
confidence in the gameness of my well-conditioned, hardy little nag, I
let him go over the green springy turf, and soon found that the distance
between us and the hartebeest was diminishing. Seeing my horse's ears
suddenly elevated, I looked round on each side, and saw my three-legged
hartebeest galloping away behind, and nearly close to me; he had been
lying down amongst some stones, and had allowed me to pass without
moving. I turned after him, my horse seeming as anxious in the chase as
a hound. When an animal is badly wounded, he usually separates himself
from the remainder of the herd, as though they no longer had any
sympathy with him, and he then seeks in solitude to brood over his
sufferings, unwatched by the eyes of his fellows. I intended to save my
ammunition until I got a fair chance of a dead shot, but after a
stern-chase of more than four miles, I found that the loss of one leg
did not much affect the speed of my friend; edging off a little, I made
a push forward, and pulled up for a broadside-shot at little more than
one hundred yards distant. As I did so, the hartebeest also stopped and
looked at me, and I dropped him with the first shot behind the shoulder.
The next proceeding was to get as much of the flesh cut up and put on
my horse as he could manage to carry. I was anxious for the head and
skin; but from want of skill as a butcher, I mauled the skin so terribly
that I found it would be useless. Taking away the head and choice parts
of the flesh, I looked roun