THE SETTIT RIVER 169 



sign of their presence. Stayed until midday, but only 

 saw some doe koodoo on a hill-side half a mile away, a 

 couple of wart-hog, and the feet of a bushbuck in thick 

 nabbuk. Returned to the place at 3 p.m., and saw 

 three bushbuck, including two males, in the meshra 

 above the cliff on which I was posted. Towards 

 sunset A. reported that he saw a big koodoo where 

 the females had been in the morning, but we 

 could make out nothing in the thick kittar when we 

 descended to the low ground. We then returned to 

 the meshra below the cliff, and surprised two male 

 koodoo in the act of descending the incline. I might 

 have shot the larger, but took a long look through my 

 glass, and decided that he was not the bull I wanted. 

 Returned to camp after dark. 



February 23rd. Was called at 4.30 a.m. and visited 

 the meshra. No fresh tracks. I left M. to watch the 

 meshra, and went on with A. to sit on top of the cliff. 

 Returning when the sun was warm, I found M. 

 reposing under the shade of a tree, where I satisfied 

 myself by ocular demonstration that he could not see 

 the meshra. I then went on to the meshra myself 

 and saw two male bushbuck drinking, but did not 

 care to shoot, although the incident satisfied me of 

 the untrustworthiness of M., which I had suspected 

 before the buffalo incident. A herd of six koodoo, 

 including a bull, drank at a remote meshra, above the 

 cliff, and a sounder of wart-hog near the cliff itself ; 



