Archive image from page 204 of The diary of a sportsman. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India . diaryofsportsman00steb Year: 1920 A MORNING'S STALK AFTER BLACK BUCK 167 Gradually my breath came back, and I ventured to raise the head. My heart leapt to my mouth, and a thrill of excitement and covetousness ran through me. There broadside on with head down, cropping the grass, stood the old buck, a splendid bull's-eye, and, as far as could be judged, within the stipulated fifty yards. Quietly I drew up the rifle, pushed it through an opening in the thin bush, and brought the stock into t
Archive image from page 204 of The diary of a sportsman. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India . diaryofsportsman00steb Year: 1920 A MORNING'S STALK AFTER BLACK BUCK 167 Gradually my breath came back, and I ventured to raise the head. My heart leapt to my mouth, and a thrill of excitement and covetousness ran through me. There broadside on with head down, cropping the grass, stood the old buck, a splendid bull's-eye, and, as far as could be judged, within the stipulated fifty yards. Quietly I drew up the rifle, pushed it through an opening in the thin bush, and brought the stock into the shoulder. The thought of past misses unnerved me for a moment, but never had I had such a bull's-eye to fire at before. Drawing a breath, I aimed at the shoulder and pulled the trigger. The effect was instantaneous. The whole herd as one bounded into the air, dropped on to their feet, and for an instant stood as if turned to stone. Then they swung round as one and went flying across the fields in a series of most extraordinary leaps, making tracks for the ravine. I was lost in admiration at the sight, and for the moment did not even think about whether I had missed or not. The marvellous jumping powers of the light graceful ante- lopes held me spellbound. The vanguard reached the edge of the ravine and sprang down into it, the youngsters taking the drop as easily as the older hands. Now the old buck, upon whom my eyes were fixed, for some of his leaps had been extraordinarily high, was within twenty yards of it, fifteen, ten, and then he suddenly crumpled up on to the ground and was seen lying struggling on his side. The havildah's voice came to me as the man started to rush across the fields. ' He's down, sahib, he's down, reload and run and fire at him again.' The voice brought me back to reality, and jumping up I started across the fields, opening the breech and jerking in another cartridge from the magazine as I did so. I was more than half-way towards the buck, who stru
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Keywords: 1920, archive, biodiversity_heritage_library, book, bookauthor, bookdecade, bookpublisher, booksponsor, booksubject, bookyear, drawing, game_protection, historical, history, hunting, illustration, image, london_john_lane_new_york_john_lane_company, page, picture, print, reference, stebbing_edward_percy_1870_1960, vintage
