166 MAMMALS »°

hair flying wildly behind him, urged his horse forward
in the race, amidst a cloud of dust raised by the two
huge but active beasts, that tried every sinew of the
horses. Roder Sheriff, with the withered arm, was
second ; with the reins hung upon the hawk-like-claw
that was all that remained of a hand, but with his
naked sword grasped in his right, he kept close to his
brother, ready to second his blow. Abou Do was
third, his hair flying in the wind, his heels dashing
against the flanks of his horse, to which he shouted in
his excitement to urge him to the front, while he leant
forward with his long sword in the wild energy of the
moment, as though hoping to reach the game against
all possibility. I soon found myself in the ruck of
men, horses, and drawn swords. There were seven of
us,and passing Abou Do, whose face wore an expres-
sion of agony at finding that his horse was failing, I
quickly obtained a place among the brothers. The
horses were pressed to the utmost, but we had already
run about two miles, and the game showed no signs
of giving in. On they flew—sometimes over open
ground, then through low bush, which tired the horses
severely ; then through strips of open forest, until at
length the party began to tail off and only a select few
kept their places. Only four of the seven remained,
and we swept down an incline, Taher Sheriff still
leading and Abou Do the last! His horse was done,
but not the rider ; for, springing to the ground while
at full speed, sword in hand, he forsook his tired horse,
and, preferring his own legs, he ran like an antelope
for the first hundred yards. I thought he would
really pass us and win the honour of the first blow,