GAME HAUNTS AND HUNTING LORE 235 



follow the fresh spoor of some such wanted animal 

 from near your own camp. When following the 

 spoor, keep to the forest edge, skirting the glades 

 where in the early morning and evening the bigger 

 antelope (eland, sable, roan, and kudu) may be 

 seen. If you are near a bush-fringed river, its 

 banks may be searched for spoor of buffalo, 

 bush buck, and impallah ; if the river is open 

 and marshy, you may see water buck or lechwe, 

 and if the sun has not risen, possibly a sitatunga. 

 If the country is open and dry, there may be 

 rhinoceros in the sparse thorn thickets, wilde- 

 beeste, hartebeeste, zebra, and reed buck in the 

 open ; and if the country is desert, oryx and spring 

 buck. The elephant and buffalo are generally 

 met with only after following their spoor ; lion 

 and leopard usually by accident. 



In the early mornings or evenings the game 

 will be grazing, and will be easily approached if 

 carefully stalked upwind. In the daytime, when 

 in cover, they are more likely to hear and see 

 your approach before you see them yourself. 

 As long as the game continue grazing or lying- 

 down, you may be sure you are undiscovered ; 

 if they appear to see you, and you stand still, 

 you will usually be safe ; but should the game 

 snort, they are alarmed, and you must shoot 

 quickly or lose your chance. If the game gallop 

 away, they may be found again, if carefully 

 spoored after a small interval. 



The senses of sight and hearing 1 in antelopes 

 arc acute but not well reasoned : the hunter may 

 be seen and heard, and yet not recognized if he 



