ABOU DO and Suleiman had lately given me some trouble, especially
the former, whose covetous nature had induced him to take much
more than his share of the hides of buffaloes and other animals
that I had shot; all of which I had given to my head camel-man
and tracker, Taher Noor, to divide among his people and the
Tokrooris. This conduct was more improper, since the aggageers
had become perfectly useless as elephant-hunters; they had ridden
so recklessly upon unnecessary occasions, that all their horses
were lamed, and, with the exception of Abou Do's, they were
incapable of hunting. My three, having been well cared for, were
in excellent condition. Abou Do coolly proposed that I should
lend him my horses, which I of course refused, as I had a long
journey before me; this led to disagreement, and I ordered him
and his people to leave my camp, and return to Geera. During the
time they had been with me, I had shot great numbers of animals,
including large antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, &c.; and about
twenty camel-loads of dried flesh, hides, fat, &c. had been
transported to Geera as the Arabs' share of the spoils. They had
also the largest share of ivory, and altogether they had never
made so successful a hunting expedition. It was time to part;
their horses being used up, they began to be discontented,
therefore I had concluded that it would be advisable to separate,
to avoid a graver misunderstanding.
I warned them not to disturb my hunting-grounds by attempting to
hunt during their journey, but they were to. ride straight home,
which they could accomplish in four days, without baggage camels.
This they promised to do, and we parted.
I was now without aggageers, as Taher Sheriff's party had
disagreed with Abou Do some time before, and they were hunting on
their own account on the banks of the river Royan, which I
intended to visit after I should have thoroughly explored the
Settite. I made up my mind to have one more day in the
neighbourhood of my present camp, and then to return to our old
quarters at Delladilla, previous to our journey to the Royan
junction.
Within three hundred yards of the camp was a regular game path,
by which the animals arrived at the river to drink every morning
from seven to nine. I had shot several tetel and ariel by simply
waiting behind a rock at this place, and, as this was my last
day, I once more concealed myself, and was shortly rewarded by
the arrival of several herds, including nellut (A. Strepsiceros),
tetel (A. Bubalis), ariel (G. Dama), the black-striped gazelle
(G. Dorcas), the small oterop (Calotragus Montanus); and, among
these, two ostriches. I had seen very few ostriches in this
country. I now had a good chance, as the herd of animals returned
from drinking by charging at full speed up the steep bank from
the water, and they passed about ninety yards from my
hiding-place, headed by the ostriches.
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