So
our twenty-seven had become twenty-six.
Next morning C. and I started out very early with one gunbearer. The
direction of the wind compelled us to a two hours' walk before we could
begin to hunt. The high grass was soaked with a very heavy dew, and
shortly we were as wet as though we had fallen into the river. A number
of hornbills and parrots followed us for some distance, but soon left us
in peace. We saw the Roberts' gazelle and some hartebeeste.
When we had gained a point of vantage, we turned back and began to work
slowly along the base of the mountains. We kept on a general level a
hundred feet or so up their slope, just high enough to give us a point
of overlook for anything that might stir either in the flat plateau
foothills or the plains. We also kept a sharp lookout for signs.
We had proceeded in this manner for an hour when in an opening between
two bushes below us, and perhaps five hundred yards away, we saw a
leopard standing like a statue, head up, a most beautiful spectacle.
While we watched her through the glasses, she suddenly dropped flat out
of sight. The cause we discovered to be three hartebeeste strolling
sociably along, stopping occasionally to snatch a mouthful, but headed
always in the direction of the bushes behind which lay the great cat.
Much interested, we watched them. They disappeared behind the screen. A
sudden flash marked the leopard's spring.
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