l6 CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



The spoor of many nocturnal animals, such as lion, leopard, hyasna, jackal, 

 porcupine, and the lesser cats are seen on the native pathways early in the morning 

 before they have been trodden on. 



The favourite ground of kudu are wooded slopes, as they, with sable, zebra, 

 bushbuck, and duiker are often to be found in very rough and broken country, and at 

 high altitudes. 



We have shot sable considerably over 6,000 feet above sea level. 



On most of the rocky summits are to be found klipspringer, who seem to be able 

 to live without water. 



These are very rarely to be seen in the low country, and perhaps then only on 

 their way from one range to another. 



Elephant, rhmo, and buffalo inhabit, as a rule, much wilder country, and following 

 them involves the hardest work. 



Elephant drink nightly, and their spoor can be picked up going to and coming 

 from water. 



It is necessary to be on their spoor very early, owing to the immense distances 



they travel. They generally stand in the shade at midday. Rhino live in thorn 



tree country, and like thick grass, through which they make well trodden and winding 



runs. 



Buffalo are seldom far from water, or go any distance during the day unless 



travelling from one place to another, as they drink in the daytime as well as at night. 



Lion and leopard, being nocturnal, are very seldom seen, and, if they are, they are 

 generally come on by chance ; but on a cool morning they may remain near their kill 

 till after the sun has risen. 



When put up, they bound away grunting, leaving an easy spoor to follow for the 

 first few hundred yards, but soon settle down to walk " carefully/' as the natives say, 

 leaving hardly a trace to be seen. 



There is no systematic way in which to hunt lion in Central Africa, as in desert 

 countries like Somaliland. 



They may be come on by accident or got by sitting up at night. If fresh khubber 

 of a kill can be obtained, and there is a good moon, the chances might be favourable, 

 but " tying up " is very disheartening work and generally results in a blank night. A 

 lion is very suspicious, but when he has killed or is very hungry seems to lose all his 

 natural caution. 



He generally eats little of his kill the first night, and returns for a gorge the next ; 

 for this reason there is a better chance of obtaining a shot by this method. 



After leaving his kill he will always go to water before lying up. 



