STALKING. ;)2o 



buffalo, tlit 1 rhinoceros, and other dangerous game 

 beware lio\v you proceed, as in a dense brake you 

 are very apt to walk on to the top of the brute bo- 

 f'ore you are aware of his presence ; and should you 

 be accompanied by a henchman, let him hold the 

 track (of which he should keep as much to wind- 

 ward as possible), whereby you will be enabled to 

 direct your whole attention to the quarry itself, 

 which, if badly hurt, and after running a short dis- 

 tance, not un frequently doubles suddenly in the 

 manner of a hare in other words, retraces its steps, 

 though not perhaps exactly by the same path, and 

 whilst you are busily engaged in examining its 

 spoor, will rush upon you unperceived from behind 

 with the speed of lightning. From neglecting these 

 and similar precautions, many are the elephant hun- 

 ters who have lost their lives in Southern Africa. 



When stalking, and attended by inexperienced 

 people, it is well to let the man who carries your 

 spare weapon (he is supposed to follow on your 

 steps) push it crosswise before him, or with the 

 butt end towards your own person. By not being 

 careful in this respect the most serious accidents 

 may result, since a grass-straw, or a twig, is sufficient 

 to catch and partially cock the gun, when an explo- 

 sion is pretty sure to follow. 



It may be proper here to remark, in parenthesis, 

 that, in following the bloody track of an elephant, 

 the hunter not unfrequently finds every trace of 

 blood suddenly to cease, when confusion imme- 

 diately ensues as to which is the wounded animal. 

 It is difficult to explain the cause of this sudden 

 cessation of blood. Some suppose that, as is re- 



