KNOWLEDGE OF COUNTRY. 53 



Thus Mtondo and Masuku are found on red, dry soils in the uplands, and the 

 grass under them is sparse ; Mtawndo and Mbungutwa near big rivers and lakes, and 

 Mpani and Msekechi on their banks ; and further from the river, often bordering 

 these latter, come various thorns. 



Any peculiarities in the shapes of tall and conspicuous trees should be noticed, 

 and those near a camp, especially in fiat country, should, if the spot is to be revisited, 

 be sketched or noted. 



In hill country a rough sketch of the appearance of different hills is useful, and a 

 note of perched blocks, bosses, needles, and clumps of trees on hilltops and the 

 number of trees they contain should be made. 



When an animal is seen, and before firing, the spot on which it is standing should 

 be carefully marked down, and after firing, if it or the herd move off, the direction they 

 take and a particular spot passed should be noticed, so as to lose no time in getting 

 on the spoor. 



In a flat bush country, if the sun goes in, direction has to be maintained 

 by compass bearing, or in the absence of a compass by the signs of the prevailing 

 winds, and by the wind then blowing if it be steady. 



The prevailing wind during the whole of the dry weather blows very constantly 

 from the south-east. 



In the latter part of this season, except where local causes interfere, when 

 the grass is burning, the half-burnt stalks may be seen uniformly pointing north-west. 



Other signs are the sides on which trees and rocks are weatherbeaten, the 

 sides of trees and mounds on which sand is heaped up, ridges of sand which have a 

 steeper descent to leeward, and the marks of the wash of waves on pools and lakes. 



During the rainy season the wind changes constantly, but it is usually the north 

 wind which brings down the rain. At the end of the rains, the wet weather passes to 

 the north, and thus a south wind at this time results in a fine day. 



The seasons are : — 



Rainy. — November to April. 

 Harvest. — April to July. 

 Cold. — May to August. 

 Shooting season. — July to January. 



To march by the sun we should know whether it is north, south, or vertically 

 overhead. During the course of the year the earth presents itself at different angles 

 to the sun, which causes the noonday sun to appear vertically above certain latitudes 

 at certain times. 



