On another occasion five men were wounded (two fatally) by a lioness,
which fought so gallantly that she at length escaped from her assailants
with two spears in her body.
I was not present on that occasion, but I have frequently admired the
pluck of the Shooli natives, who attack every animal with the simple
hunting-spear, which of course necessitates a close approach.
On 30th December I went out with a few natives on the Fabbo road, simply
to shoot in order to procure meat for the camp. We were about ten miles
from the station, and the game was so wild on the open prairies that we
found it impossible to approach within shot. We had seen great numbers
of the beautiful leucotis antelope (rather larger than a fine fallow
buck), also hartebeest (Antelope bubalis), all of which had quitted the
clean ground which had recently been burnt, and had retired to the high
grass upon a long sloping undulation.
Among our natives were two men who were the owners of the manor; they
therefore proposed that we should place the guns in position, while they
should march up to windward, and fire the grass in the usual manner.
Lieutenant Baker was placed about 300 yards to my left, and Colonel
Abd-el-Kader about 150 paces to my right. As we faced the high grass we
had the ground clear at our backs, as the young herbage was just
sprouting after the recent burning.
As usual, I was concealed by a large ant-hill, behind which, my two boys
Saat and Bellaal squatted with my spare guns. About 100 yards before me,
in a slight hollow, the grass was quite green, as the depression had
until lately held water. This rank herbage would of course stop the fire
upon its arrival from the sloping hill-face. About forty yards from me
the grass was high and dry.
About half an hour after the guns were posted we heard the whistles, and
shortly after, the smoke rose in various places until at last a crescent
of fire spread over the hill. The wind was very light, therefore the
fire travelled slowly, and the game advanced at an easy pace. I now
heard shots upon my left at the extreme flank, where I had posted a few
of the best shots of the "Forty Thieves," including Ferritch Ajoke.
I saw the game breaking covert in herds of several hundreds in that
direction. Presently Abd-el-Kader had a shot upon my right, and I
observed several antelopes bounding along upon the clear space in our
rear.
I was not in luck, but I now saw a splendid buck leucotis walking
quietly through the grass, and slowly descending the slope to the green
hollow, which would bring him straight towards me should he keep this
direction.
