THE KAHAD RIVER 207 



feeding, but the place was infested with stray human 

 beings and in disgust I finally gave up waiting for 

 the game to graze within shot. This maya is totally 

 useless for stalking purposes, there being no cover 

 but dried grass which crackles like tin boxes. In 

 the afternoon I returned to the maya to see whether 

 an ariel could be got by lying in ambush. However, 

 they had drunk and fed and would not approach. 

 An oribi came within 50 yards, which I missed right 

 and left, and then wasted five buckshot-cartridges 

 over bustard. In the evening I again returned to the 

 machan. 



April 9th. The night, which was cloudy and the 

 warmest we have yet had, passed without incident. 

 The goat called well, and it is clear that the felines 

 find the maya as unprofitable for stalking as I did. In 

 the morning I dismantled the machan, having only 

 heard a leopard and a lion call once in the distance. As 

 I was unable to march for the milch-goats had not 

 arrived I prospected up-stream, finding the low land 

 more open and better for stalking. Lion-tracks were 

 numerous opposite some thick reeds, which I burnt 

 without result. Meanwhile, a large herd of ariel 

 came down to drink, led by a straight-horned gazelle. 

 As I had more ariel to my credit than gazelle, 

 I preferred the latter, and made a successful shot, 

 raking him through the shoulder and flank, though he 

 ran 40 yards before dropping. The horns measured 



