14 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



usually purblind in daylight as an owl ; but it is, at 

 all events, certain that the pearl-spotted owl makes 

 little difficulty in getting about in daylight. The 

 bird shows small fear of man, and, when disturbed, 

 makes only a short flight to some adjacent resting- 

 place. 



Carefally placing the dead owl in my game-bag, I 

 continue my march, and again I hear the guns of my 

 comrades among the hills on my left flank. 



It is not long before Don stands once more at 

 point, careful and rigid, in some long grass. I 

 approach with caution, and almost from under my 

 feet a francolin rises. He flies straight into the 

 heart of the sunlight, and between the glare and bad 

 shooting I perpetrate a shameful miss. At the 

 report, up springs another bird, fifteen yards away. 

 This time I make no mistake, and the victim falls. 

 So far, well. My friends are good shots, and are 

 undoubtedly scoring, and we shall have a decent 

 game-stew for the evening meal. A close search by 

 Don fails to discover more pheasants hereabouts, and 

 again we move on. The wagons are steadily trek- 

 king through the valley, half-a-mile ahead. I can 

 catch, now and again, the high voices of the drivers 

 urging on the now jaded spans. Occasionally I hear 

 the loud crack of a wagon- whip. That is Patshalan, 

 our second driver. David, who manages the big 

 wagon, is far more judicious, and trusts almost 



