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〃Yes； Cousin Hernan；〃 said Marie； 〃you have been practising； but so；
perhaps； has Allan。〃
By this time all the company of Boers had collected round us； and began
to evince a great interest in the pending contest； as was natural among
people who rarely had a gun out of their hands； and thought that fine
shooting was the divinest of the arts。 However； they were not allowed
to stay long； as the Kaffirs said that the geese would begin their
afternoon flight within about half an hour。 So the spectators were all
requested to arrange themselves under the sheer cliff of the kloof；
where they could not be seen by the birds coming over them from behind；
and there to keep silence。 Then Pereira and II attended by my loader；
but he alone； as he said a man at his elbow would bother himand with
us Retief； the referee； took our stations about a hundred and fifty
yards from this face of cliff。 Here we screened ourselves as well as we
could from the keen sight of the birds behind some tall bushes which
grew at this spot。
I seated myself on a camp…stool； which I had brought with me； for my leg
was still too weak to allow me to stand long； and waited。 Presently
Pereira said through Retief that he had a favour to ask； namely； that I
would allow him to take the first six shots； as the strain of waiting
made him nervous。 I answered； 〃Certainly；〃 although I knew well that
the object of the request was that he believed that the outpost
geese〃spy…geese〃 we called themwhich would be the first to arrive；
would probably come over low down and slow； whereas those that followed；
scenting danger； might fly high and fast。 This； in fact； proved to be
the case； for there is no bird more clever than the misnamed goose。
When we had waited about a quarter of an hour Hans said：
〃Hist！ Goose comes。〃
As he spoke； though as yet I could not see the bird； I heard its cry of
〃Honk； honk〃 and the swish of its strong wings。
Then it appeared； an old spur…winged gander； probably the king of the
flock； flying so low that it only cleared the cliff edge by about twenty
feet； and passed over not more than thirty yards up； an easy shot。
Pereira fired； and down it came rather slowly； falling a hundred yards
or so behind him； while Retief said：
〃One for our side。〃
Pereira loaded again； and just as he had capped his rifle three more
geese； also flying low； came over； preceded by a number of ducks；
passing straight above us； as they must do owing to the shape of the gap
between the land waves of the veld above through which they flighted。
Pereira shot； and to my surprise； the second； not the first； bird fell；
also a good way behind him。
〃Did you shoot at that goose； or the other； nephew？〃 asked Retief。
〃At that one for sure；〃 he answered with a laugh。
〃He lies；〃 muttered the Hottentot； 〃he shot at the first and killed the
second。〃
〃Be silent；〃 I answered。 〃Who would lie about such a thing？〃
Again Pereira loaded。 By the time that he was ready more geese were
approaching； this time in a triangle of seven birds； their leader being
at the point of the triangle； which was flying higher than those that
had gone before。 He fired； and down came not one bird； but two； namely；
the captain and the goose to the right of and a little behind it。
〃Ah！ uncle；〃 exclaimed Pereira； 〃did you see those birds cross each
other as I pulled？ That was a lucky one for me； but I won't count the
second if the Heer Allan objects。〃
〃No； I did not； nephew；〃 answered Retief； 〃but doubtless they must have
done so； or the same bullet could not have pierced both。〃
Both Hans and I only looked at each other and laughed。 Still we said
nothing。
From the spectators under the cliff there came a murmur of
congratulation not unmixed with astonishment。 Again Pereira loaded；
aimed； and loosed at a rather high gooseit may have been about seventy
yards in the air。 He struck it right enough； for the feathers flew from
its breast； but to my astonishment the bird； after swooping down as
though it were going to fall； recovered itself and flew away straight
out of sight。
〃Tough birds； these geese！〃 exclaimed Pereira。 〃They can carry as much
lead as a sea…cow。〃
〃Very tough indeed；〃 answered Retief doubtfully。 〃Never before did I
see a bird fly away with an ounce ball through its middle。〃
〃Oh！ he will drop dead somewhere；〃 replied Pereira as he rammed his
powder down。
Within four minutes more Pereira had fired his two remaining shots；
selecting； as he was entitled to do； low and easy young geese that came
over him slowly。 He killed them both； although the last of them； after
falling； waddled along the ground into a tuft of high grass。
Now murmurs of stifled applause broke from the audience； to which
Pereira bowed in acknowledgment。
〃You will have to shoot very well； Mynheer Allan；〃 said Retief to me；
〃if you want to beat that。 Even if I rule out one of the two birds that
fell to a single shot； as I think I shall； Hernan has killed five out of
six； which can scarcely be bettered。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃but； mynheer； be so good as to have those geese
collected and put upon one side。 I don't want them mixed up with mine；
if I am lucky enough to bring any down。〃
He nodded； and some Kaffirs were sent to bring in the geese。 Several of
these； I noted； were still flapping and had to have their necks twisted；
but at the time I did not go to look at them。 While this was being done
I called to Retief； and begged him to examine the powder and bullets I
was about to use。
〃What's the good？〃 he asked； looking at me curiously。 〃Powder is
powder； and a bullet is a bullet。〃
〃None； I dare say。 Still； oblige me by looking at them； my uncle。〃
Then at my bidding Hans took six bullets and placed them in his hand；
begging him to return them to us as they were wanted。
〃They must be a great deal smaller than Hernan's；〃 said Retief； 〃who；
being stronger； uses a heavier gun。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered briefly； as Hans put the charge of powder into the
rifle； and drove home the wad。 Then； taking a bullet from Retief's
hand； he rammed that down on to the top of it； capped the gun； and
handed it to me。
By now the geese were coming thick； for the flight was at its full。
Only； either because some of those that had already passed had sighted
the Kaffirs collecting the fallen birds and risenan example which the
others noted from afar and followedor because in an unknown way
warning of their danger had been conveyed to them； they were flying
higher and faster than the first arrivals。
〃You will have the worst of it； Allan；〃 said Retief。 〃It should have
been shot and shot about。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 I answered； 〃but that can't be helped now。〃
Then I rose from my stool； the rifle in my hand。 I had not long to
wait； for presently over came a wedge of geese nearly a hundred yards
up。 I aimed at the first fellow； holding about eight yards ahead of him
to allow for his pace； and pressed。 Next second I heard the clap of the
bullet； but alas！ it had only struck the outstretched beak； of which a
small portion fell to the ground。 The bird itself； after wavering a
second； resumed its place as leader of the squad and passed away
apparently unharmed。
〃Baas； baas；〃 whispered Hans as he seized the rifle and began to
re…load； 〃you were too far in front。 These big water…birds do not
travel as fast as the rock pigeons。〃
I nodded； wishing to save my breath。 Then； quivering with excitement；
for if I missed the next shot the match appeared to be lost； presently I
took the rifle from his hand。
Scarcely had I done so when a single goose came over quite as high as
the others and travelling 〃as though the black devil had kicked it；〃 as
Retief said。 This time I allowed the same space to compensate for the
object's increased speed and pressed。
Down it came like a stone； falling but a little way behind me with its
head knocked off。
〃Baas； baas；〃 whispered Hans； 〃still too far in front。 Why aim at the
eye when you have the whole body？〃
Again I nodded； and at the same time heaved a sigh of relief。 At least
the match was still alive。 Soon a large flight came over； mixed up with
mallard and widgeon。 I took the right…hand angle bird； so that it could
not be supposed I had 〃browned the lot；〃 as here in England they say of
one who fires at a covey and not at a particular partridge。 Down he
came； shot straight through the breast。 Then I knew that I had got my
nerve； and felt no more fear。
To cut a long story short； although two of them were extremely difficult
and high； one being； I should say； quite a hundred and twenty yards
above me； and the other by no means easy； I killed the next three birds
one after the other； and I verily believe could have killed a dozen more
without a miss； for now I was shooting as