A HUNTING TRIP TO LAKE CHIUTA. 35 



just dead. His horns only measured 38in. on the straight, which is not very big, but 

 he was my first kudu, so I felt very pleased. Cutting up the meat and taking off the 

 head I started back for the road, where I found M. He had experienced bad luck, 

 and had not seen any kudu. Our bare knees were very painful vvith coming in 

 contact with the "buffalo" bean (Chitaisi). 



This pod is covered with numberless sharp, hairy spikes, which cause most 

 painful itching. In an hour or two the pain decreases, but while it lasts is most 

 uncomfortable. 



Parts of the country are covered with this nuisance, and I have seen places 

 which are impassable, for the spikes will work through any cloth. Reaching a 

 village about 3 p.m. we camped and went out shooting. I saw a considerable 

 amount of game. First I shot an oribi, and soon after another, and on my way back 

 to camp I got three hartebeest. 



I may say I shot all this game to supply food for the carriers and machilla men, 

 for between us we had quite seventy men who had to be fed. On getting to camp 

 I found M. was in with a good bushbuck ram. 



We sat up late after a good camp dinner, during which we drank the healths of 

 friends in the old country and pitied them for not being with us in the wilds Next 

 day we did about twelve miles and camped and went out shooting. I only saw a 

 few reedbuck and duikers, which I did not fire at, as I hoped to see something 

 bigger. The following day we reached the shores of Lake Chiuta, where there is 

 a boma or enclosure with huts. This day I shot a reedbuck. 



There was a hill near here the natives call Mundi. Rising early on December 28th, 

 we crossed to the Portuguese side of Chiuta, having to make a big detour to get 

 round the water. We walked steadily from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m., and I saw a lot 

 of game spoor of buffalo, eland, gnu, and sable, although much of it was old. In 

 one dambo I saw three different lots of reedbuck, but did not fire at them, hoping 

 to see some larger game. Finding some recently made eland spoor I followed it for 

 over three hours, and at last sighted the animals themselves, but they ran off before 

 I could get a shot, and I did not follow them. Coming back to camp I saw a 

 waterbuck cow, but did not fire at her, although further on I killed two reedbuck and 

 an oribi for meat. A heavy rain and thunderstorm came on and I got in drenched. 

 M. bagged a waterbuck and a reedbuck ram. On the following morning we went to 

 a village about six miles on and camped. Going out shooting I found fresh sable 

 spoor, but could not get up to them, so I shot four hartebeest. 



Hartebeest (Lichtenstein's) are the commonest game in this part, and we saw 

 numbers of these animals every day. . 



E 



