Sport in East Africa. 305 



up got three more ; this time I held the gun straighter 

 and dropped one dead. Going through the long 

 grass to pick it up, I heard a hiss : stepping back- 

 wards, I just avoided a puff adder's strike, it was not 

 three feet off, and as I never spare a snake, I did not 

 hesitate to blow its head to pieces, I then picked up 

 my bird and reached the tent just at dark. 



Finding so much small game about, I determined 

 to halt here for a day. I had brought some cooked 

 viands with me, amongst them some currie puffs, and 

 washing them down with a bottle of Beck's lager 

 beer, I was soon tucked up in one of Edgington's 

 swing cots, and slept the sleep of the weary up to 

 4 a.m. ; then seeing the morning star high up, I 

 called the people, and after a wash and a cup of 

 coffee, I was ready to sally forth again. This time I 

 went towards the east, and found I had taken the 

 worst possible direction, for there was little or no 

 game to be found there. I got a hare, it is true, 

 but it had little flesh on its bones ; and though I 

 trudged along, first east and then south, not far from 

 the sea, I only saw a few quail and a partridge or 

 two, and those out of shot. As it was getting hot 

 and I saw no prospect of sport, I turned homewards, 

 going across some old cultivated fields. In this, 

 putting up a few quail, I loaded with small shot and 

 soon had half-a-dozen brace. I then came to a belt 

 of jungle. I had scarcely entered it when up got 

 eight francolins, fine large birds. I bowled over a 

 couple, and they were added to the bag. By beating 

 amongst bushes in the long grass, I put up, singly or 

 in pairs, several brown partridges, and got four. They 

 are easy enough to hit but require a deal of killing. 



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