A LATE START 



dogs, too, and water-bearers. Roughly speaking, the 

 line must have stretched some four and a half miles. 

 If game were found word could be passed along 

 or, failing that, a signal given by firing a couple of 

 shots in rapid succession. 



Naturally enough, the first day started badly. As 

 so often happens when one is dealing with new-comers, 

 there was that fatal delay in starting, that inability to 

 reaHse that the first two hours in Africa are worth more 

 than the whole of the next seven put together. 

 Everyone, white men and carriers ahke, wants to talk 

 on those occasions, and everyone will go on talking 

 until the man in charge lets off some very plain 

 speech on his own account. 



No rhino were seen, but after a while Jones sighted 

 a herd of hartebeeste and signalled to me. The 

 ground was not very good, being broken veldt with 

 a certain amount of low scrub ; still, it was worth 

 trying to get a picture. 



I gave the word, and the cowboys started the herd 

 on the run. The bulk came down in a cloud of 

 dust right towards the cameras — it was very cleverly 

 managed — then tried to swerve away as they saw my 

 assistant and myself. But a lasso was shot out, and 

 a moment later one was down right in front of me. 

 Almost before he knew what had happened I had 

 secured a film of him, and he had been allowed to race 

 off and rejoin his fellows. 



151 



