CHAPTER VIII 



Shooting on the march — Gerenuk — Parturiunt monies — Bad water — ^My 

 " milk-man " — Halal — The hyaena's laugh — Additions to the bag — 

 Greater bustard — Aoul fawn — Kotunweiu — Shooting aoul : the effect 

 of high wind — Night-watching : a bad let-olf— Consolation in store — 

 The rcAvard of good tracking : death of a grand black-maned lion — 

 Lions jumphig into zaribas. 



On the 4th August we moved on eastwards. One 

 sometimes sees the statement in works on African 

 shooting that it is a mistake to shoot on the line of 

 march. It may be so when there is a possibiUty of 

 caravan or sportsman losing their respective ways; 

 but my men knew this part of the country thoroughly 

 and one would have lost a good deal by not doing it. 

 Our practice was to decide on the next halting-place 

 before starting, making sure that there was a clear 

 understanding on the point between the caravan leader 

 and the shikaris who accompanied me. I used then 

 to go on ahead of the caravan and to one side, with 

 occasionally a camel following if prospects of sport 

 were good, but it was rarely that the pony and mule 

 were unable to carry what game we might get. In 

 the case of a big beast, like an oryx, a party would be 

 sent out for it afterwards if necessary. The day I shot 

 the three lions the two steeds carried their skins and 

 heads, with an aoul head and some meat, and made 

 nothing of it. Nor did they show the smallest repugnance 

 to the smell of lion, as might have been expected. 



