Mohammed immediately sought us out to report, in
great excitement, that he had seen five kudu across the stream. He
claimed to have watched them even after the safari had passed, and that
they had not been alarmed. The chance was slight that the kudu could be
found, but still it was a chance. Accordingly we rather reluctantly gave
up our plans for a loaf and a nap. Mohammed said the place was an hour
back; we had had six hours march already. However, about two o'clock we
set out. Before we had arrived quite at the spot we caught a glimpse of
the five kudu as they dashed across a tiny opening ahead of us. They had
moved downstream and crossed the river.
It seemed rather hopeless to follow them into that thick country once
they had been alarmed, but the prize was great. Therefore Memba Sasa and
I took up the trail. We crept forward a mile, very quiet, very
tense--very sweaty. Then simultaneously, through a chance opening and a
long distance away, we caught a patch of gray with a single transverse
white stripe. There was no chance to ascertain the sex of the beast, nor
what part of its anatomy was thus exposed. I took a bull's eye chance on
that patch of gray; had the luck to hit it in the middle. The animal
went down. Memba Sasa leapt forward like a madman; I could not begin to
keep pace with him. When I had struggled through the thorn, I found him
dancing with delight.
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