Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/164

 hunters could see that the mighty band was still moving swiftly on. The men shot until they were tired, and succeeded in killing many more than they could carry away. Toward sundown the last of the herd passed north, followed by an army of birds of prey, jackals, hyenas, and an occasional leopard. The wild animals were so intent upon killing the Spring Boks that for a while they seemed to leave each other alone, and a band of hyenas and jackals would be seen running almost within springing distance of a lion.

As a rule, the Spring Bok is rather a difficult animal to shoot. A hunter once spent a whole day trying to get within gun shot of a small herd. He knew that if they once got wind of, or caught sight of, him, the whole herd would vanish as if by magic. At length, after long waiting, he made his way to a rock from behind which he was able to take aim. Just as he was about to raise his rifle he noticed not a hundred yards away a movement in the grass, and before he could make out what was causing it a magnificent lion with a roar sprang out and brought down the largest buck of the herd. The hunter fired at the lion who, astonished at the noise, sprang up angrily from its prey and looked around. The shot evidently missed, for the lion seized the Spring Bok in its mouth and moved off, growling fiercely. In spite of all his efforts, the hunter failed to come within sight of the herd after that, and had to give up the chase.

Another hunter once managed to creep up quite close to where about a dozen Spring Boks were feeding. Suddenly he noticed that they were greatly excited evidently by something they could see in the grass. Presently a huge snake crept into sight. It was tossing its head from side to side, hissing venomously, and trying to escape. The hunter was curious to see what the animals would do, so he crouched down and watched. The Spring Boks all collected in a ring and then took turns in leaping in the air and bringing their four, sharp, pointed, hoofs down together upon the snake's back. The reptile struck out viciously but did not seem to injure the animals. Soon the hunter saw that the snake was bleeding and showing signs of weakness. Then all the animals joined in the fray leaping and dashing together over the spot where the snake lay. In a few minutes every spark of life had been trampled out of the great reptile.

The hunter, in his anxiety to see the struggle, had risen on his knees, when the leader saw him the herd instantly stampeded.

Although he did not get a shot, the hunter could rejoice at having seen the Spring Boks kill a snake in the way of which he had so often heard, and which had so often been dubbed as a lie.