Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-02-11

ano at last, thorougnry u1ea ano UT oI tenn !
per, We started on our way back to camp, |
over the brow Of q steepish hill to do
50. Just as we got over the ridge I froze up
like a pointer dog, for there, about 900 yards
to my left, his beautiful curved horns out
lined against the soft blue Of the sky, I saw
a noble koodoo bull tstrepsiceros kudul. Even
at that distance-for, as You know, my eyes |
are very keen-I could distinctly see the white |
stripes upon its side when the light fell upon
It and its large and pointed ears twitch as the
dies worried it.
$50 far 50 good; but how were we to get
at it, 1t was ridiculous to risk . shot at that
great distance, aud yet both the ground
and tho wind lay very i'll for stalking. 1t
seemed to me that the only chance would
be to make a detour Of at least a mile or
more and come up on the other sids Of the
koodoo. Tcalled Harry to my side and es.
platned to him what I thought would be our
best course, when suddenly, without any
delay, the koodoo saved US any further
trouble by suddenly starting of down the
hill like a leaping rocket. don't know what
had frightened it; certainly we had not.
Perhaps a hyena or q leopard-a tiger as we
call it there-had suddenly appeared; at any
3OSS VA ~ "SAIS 1o&AAAil1S oAlSUtty toW04o US,
and l never saw u buck 60 faster. As for
Harry, he stood watching the beautiful ami
mails course. Presently it vanished behinda
patch OF bush, to emerge u few seconds later
about 500 PAGES from us, Oh q stretch of COM
paratively level ground that was strewn with
bowldeH. On 1t went. taking the powders
In its path in a succession Of great bounds
that were beautiful to behold. As it did SO T
happened to look round at Harry, and per-
ceived to my establishment that he had got
his rifle to his shoulder.
"'You foolish boy" I calculated, surely
you arc not going to'-and just at that mo
ment the rifle went off.
"And then I think I saw what was, in its
way, ono OF the most wonderful things I ever
remember In my hunting experience. The
koodoo was at the moment in the air, clearing
a pile of stones with its fore legs tucked up
underneath it. All in an instant the legs
stretched themselves out in u spas1nodic
fashion, and it lit on them and they doubled
up beneath it. Down went the none buck,
down on to its head. For a moment it seemed
to be standing on its horns, its hind legs high
in the air, and then over it went aud lay still.
"'Great heavcns". I said, why, you've hit
him! He's dcad.'
las for Harry, be said nothing, but
merely looked scared, as well no might. A
man, let alone a boy, might have fired a
thousand such shots without ever touching
tho object, which, mind you, was springing
and bounding over rocks quite 500 yards
and hero this lad, taking q snap shot
a!.d merely allowing for elevation by in-
selnct, for no did not put up his sights. had
Knocked tho bull over as doad as q door nail.
Wen, | made no further reinarL-the occa-
sion was too solemn for talking-but merely
led the way TO whero the koodoo lay. There
ne was, beautiful and quite still, and there.
high up, about half way down his neck, was
a neat, round hole. The bullet had severed
the spinal marrow, passing right through
tho Vcrtcb-:p and away on the other side.
1T was already evening when, having cut
as much of the best meat US we could carry
from the bull, and tirt u red handkerchief
anu some tu*ts OF grass to bis spiral horns,
which, by the way, must nave been nearly
I'VE feet i'll length, in tho hopo Of keeping
Jacka!s and aasvogcls (vultures from him,
We finally got back to camp to find Pharaoh,
who was getting rather anxious at our ab-
ready to greet US with the pleasing i'll
tcll5ence that another OK was sick. But
even this dreadful bit Of intelligence could
not dash Harry's spirits, tho fact Of tho mat
ter being that, incredible as it may appear,
| do verify believe that III his heart Of hearts
he set down the death of that koodoo to tho
credit of his own skill. Now, though tho lad
was a tidy shot enough, this OF course wos
ridiculous, md told him so very plainly.
by the time TINT wo had finished our SUP
per of Roodoo steaks (Which would havo been
better if the koo1oo had been a Iittlo younger,
it was timet to got ready for Jim-Jin's muir
deress again. All the afternoon Pharaoh
told Us tho unfortunate OK had been walking
round and round in q circle as cattle in tho
last stages of redwater generally do. Now it
had come to Il standstill, and was swnying to
and fro witt, its head hanging down. So wo
tied him up to the stump of the tree as on the
previous night, knowing that IL tho lioness
did not kill him he would 10 dead by morn.
ing. Indeed, l was afraid that he would be
OF little use us u bait, for a lion is a sports
manlike animal, and, unless he is very hun.
cry, generally prefers to kill his wv dinner,
though when once killed no will come back
to it again and again.
"Ihen we repeated our experience of the
previous night, sitting there hour after hour,
till at last Harry went fast asleep, and even
/, though am accustomed to this sort of
thing, could scarcely keep my eyes open.
Indeed. was just dropping of. when Pha-
raoh gave mo a shove.
"'Listen' he whispered.
Il was all awake in a second, and listening
with all my ears. From the clump Of bush to
the right of tho lightning shattered stump to
which the OK was tied came faint cracking
noise. Presently it was repeated. Something
was moving there, family and quietly enough,
but still moving ~perceptibly, for in the in.
1AncA fillrrco ~ H.
loud.
Il woke up Harry, who instantly said
Where is sllcf Where il sheT and began 10
point bis rifle about in a fashion that was
moro dangerous to Us and the oxen than to
any possible lioncsa
"'t1ush up! whispered ~sava4ely; and as I
did so with a low and hideous growl a fash
of yellow light sped out OF the clump Of bush,
past the OK, and into the corresponding clump
upon tho other side. The poor sick brute gave
a sort Of groan, and staggered round aud then
began to tremble. could sse 1t do 80 clearly
In the moonlight, which was now very bright,
and l felt a brute for having exposed the un-
fortunate animal to such terror as no must
undoubtedly DO undergoing. The lioness, for
1t was she, passed 80 quickly that we could
not even distinguish her movements, much
less shoot. Indeed ct night it Is absolutely
useless to attempt to shoot unless the object
Is very close md standing perfectly still, and
then the light Is so deceptive and it is SO diff
cult to see the foresight that the best shot
will miss moro often than he hits.
"'She will DO back again presently 1 said:
look out, but for heavens sake don't fire un-
less I tell you to-
Hardly were the words out OF my mouth
when back she came and again passed tho OK
without striking him.
What on Garth is shs doins'' Whispered
Harry.