332 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



two away from the swamp, and time your departure 

 so as to reach the feeding-ground about dawn ; and 

 as the dewfall at night in the cold season is exceed- 

 ingly heavy (you may be pardoned if on waking 

 you mistake the clatter and drip on the leaves for 

 heavy rain) a mackintosh is essential for a walk 

 through the jungles until an hour or two after sun- 

 rise. The shikari's first care on reaching the swamp 

 is to ascertain whether any late feeder remains. I 

 never saw one myself, but from the circumspection 

 exercised by the man of experience, it is evidently 

 a precaution to be observed. The coast being clear, 

 resign yourself to the leeches and follow the Karen. 

 If a bison has been there during the night the fresh- 

 bitten stems of kyaing grass, an inch in diameter, 

 will betray him at once ; the severed stems oxidise 

 quickly, and those which show a tinge of brown were 

 bitten hours ago ; those severed this morning are 

 fresh and juicy. If the ground is water-logged the 

 lie of the stems 6 feet long or more shows the 

 way by which the bison left the feeding-ground ; he 

 lumbers along, picking a stem here and there as he 

 goes, pressing the bamboo-like growth aside. This 

 track, however, is so obvious that the totally unex- 

 perienced man detects it for himself. Having found 

 the way of exit from the swamp and dragged yourself 

 out of it, pick off as many leeches as can be induced 

 to part with you, taking their heads with them (do 

 not attempt to pull off by force any which have 

 driven their mandibles well into your skin, or you 

 will suffer for it), and take up the spoor. 



