THE ACUTE "MRS. GRAY" 281 and a large herd of tiang, that ungainly animal resembling a cross between roan antelope and hartebeest. For three mortal hours, with a stovehot south wind blowing, I stalked those wary tiang over eight or ten miles of rough country with scarcely any cover, never getting within 400 yards. Deeply disgusted and blaming myself, I rejoined my companion and tested my shooting on a solitary tiang. I was now too exhausted to properly stalk. At 350 yards a bullet passed between his legs, striking the ground behind him ; at 400 yards the same thing occurred ; so the chances of fate were against me.

But in the afternoon, on our debouching into the White Nile, came the last opportunity to kill " Mrs. Gray." This sounds murderous indeed, but the crime was most tempting. She—or, to be accurate, he—was visible on the dry land, the white patch over the shoulders showing bright in the distance against the dark body.

The difficulty which presented itself was how to land. First came tall grass floating on the water the steamer ploughed through that ; then grass growing in two-feet-deep water—two planks assisted me there for a few steps ; then I sank to my knees in water and grass-roots, which endowed me with courage, and so I plunged onward. A section of nearly dry land ensued, and I thought that my troubles were over, for a few yards ahead the grass was to all appearances burnt black and dry to the ground. So on went my scout Faragallah, his legs