74 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



fast as a dog. Until one has seen the pace of these 

 birds in the wild state, one can hardly realize the 

 extent of their running powers. It is perfectly 

 hopeless to get near them on foot if they once start 

 running. In forest country we sometimes employed 

 a mongrel dog with a good nose, or a badly broken 

 pointer which was good for little else. If we came 

 on a troop of guinea-fowl, these dogs would run 

 them till they scattered and took refuge in trees. 

 The dogs would then bay them until we came up, 

 when we could usually reckon on a brace or two 

 as they flew off. This is a recognized method, and 

 indeed when guinea-fowl run in forest country it is 

 about the only way of getting near them. Some- 

 times when run down and scattered by the dogs in 

 this way they will lie very close and can then be shot 

 in detail. On such occasions good bags can be made. 

 Farther up country, on the Lake river (Ngami- 

 land) we were usually too much occupied with the 

 pursuit of heavy game to find time to follow guinea- 

 fowl. They were, however, very plentiful in all that 

 region; and occasionally, when it happened that a 

 flock had settled for the night in some trees near 

 our camp, at the entreaty of our wagon-boys we 

 would lend one of them a gun and two or three 

 cartridges for the purpose of stalking the sleepy 

 roosters, and so ensuring a supply of delicate food for 

 the morrow. 



