THE SETTIT RIVER 133 



fully, though I jumped some koodoo does on the 

 way. Finally, I wound up by missing a steady pot- 

 shot at 30 yards at an animal the size of a cow standing 

 broadside-on. At least, no blood could be found. I 

 viewed the herd again, but failed in the stalk, and got 

 back to camp at 11 a.m., very disgusted with things 

 in general. In the evening I went to the bushbuck- 

 meshra. Unluckily I had to walk down wind, with 

 the result that M. and I simultaneously detected a 

 lion reposing on the top of a knoll some 80 yards off, 

 but he got our wind at once, and disappeared whilst 

 I was changing rifles, and we never saw him again. 

 So ended a good day gone wrong. 



January 18th. Shot four guinea-fowl near camp. 

 Marched to Kellalab, a distance of some 6 miles. 

 Saw nothing en route but a good wart-hog, too far 

 from camp, five bushbuck, all females and young, 

 and a female koodoo. Heard in Kellalab that buffalo 

 regularly inhabit the island opposite the camp, and 

 went out in the evening, finding fresh tracks of 

 buffalo, but none of lion. Saw nothing. 



January Vdth. Went out in the early morning to 

 search the island. Found it so thick as to be totally 

 useless, but promising to beat, if only luck were 

 favourable. Fixed up a shooting butt, and returned 

 to breakfast at 9 o'clock, deciding to try the effect of 

 a beat with mounted men on camels after breakfast. 



