154 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



comes out victor ; l)ut if man approaches him lie retires, 

 if possible, into the deepest solitudes of the woods, unless 

 he once sees him, when he charges upon hiui furiously. 

 So it was important to take all precautions that he 

 should not guess our presence ; and Ave therefore, as I 

 said, went without hre, which in Africa, surrounded as 

 you are with wild animals, is very dangerous. Thurs- 

 day chose our camp wisely, in a little half-clearing 

 where we could see in all directions a dozen yards 

 around us, so as to avoid surprises, and away from 

 the river we had Ijeen following, that we might not 

 interfere with the drin king-place of any lions or pan- 

 thers in the neighborhood. My hammock was swung 

 on a tamarind branch at a dizzy height, and I had to 

 reach it by an athletic exhibition worthy of a chim- 

 panzee. Fifteen feet raised me from the clutches of 

 prowling beasts, Init laid me open to the danger of 

 breaking a limb if my sleep were at all uneasy, so 

 with a bit of line I laced myself in, and lay secure, 

 but sleepless. What nights these African days bring! 

 Through the pathless forest roam wild beasts in search 

 of food, ready to follow the first scent that promises 

 them their prey ; ravenous — except on those rare days 

 when they have run across a buffalo strayed from his 

 herd — and quick to take advantage of any unwary 

 wanderer. Lions, panthers, elephants, and gorillas are 

 here, and before the terror of their coming fly all the 

 smaller game of the forest around. 



