I FIND SABLE til 



and again on the Bungo River, south of the 

 Rumelia. 



The best method of finding and mapping out 

 the distribution of the sable appeared to be to 

 make a series of oblique traverses from one river 

 to the other, for in this way the whole of the 

 watershed could be thoroughly explored for the 

 .-rjimals. As my map was very inaccurate, we 

 j;id to rely on compass bearing and native informa- 

 tion for direction ; but the scheme seemed feas- 

 ible, and we started the lirst oblique traverse 

 from the Loando south-west to the Coanza on 

 13th August, reaching the Rumelia stream after 

 a three hours' march. 



Here we camped where a Portuguese profes- 

 sional hunter had stayed for three months, while 

 lie hunted K;r prolit in the neighbourhood. During 



1 O o 



this tin,,; the natives say he killed twenty giant 

 sable, five in one day, besides many roan, cob, and 

 other antelope. It was rather bad luck starting 

 my sable hunt in a country so thoroughly shot 

 over. 



The villagers declared that all the country 

 between the Loando and Coanza Rivers was the 

 " house " of the giant sable, and in the evening 

 sliowcd me the spoor and droppings of a bull, 

 which were similar to, but a little larger, than 

 those of an ordinary sable. Just before dark 

 we saw two giant sable, apparently young bulls ; 

 they were of a brown colour and carried horns 

 about 40 inch; : I 



Tiu- daj iftei m\ arrival OP the Rmnclia. 

 ^.iiilc in in ,iii u/rest, we came suddenly 



