214 SPORT IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



presence. I decided that a long shot at buffalo, on 

 ground like this, would be next door to madness, and 

 tried to get nearer, behind a bush some 50 yards from 

 the three bulls. Unluckily four francolin rose one 

 after the other as I cautiously approached the bush, 

 and another reedbuck went off into the bargain. This 

 was too much for the buffalo, and the next view I had 

 was of their sterns in full retreat, and we saw no more 

 of them. As it was nearly sunset we made for camp. 

 R. was leading, and he and I simultaneously saw the 

 outline of some large feline, 50 yards away under the 

 high bank to our left. R. was greatly excited, saying 

 " Lion," and I drew back to get a moment's breathing- 

 time. This was unlucky, as when I cautiously 

 descended for the shot I saw the outline of the 

 creature's back gliding up the bank into the high 

 grass. I sent at once to camp for a goat, but it was 

 quite dark when it arrived, so we had to return to 

 camp, and all that I got out of the afternoon's work 

 was a headache. 



April 18th. Spent the night in bed, and next morn- 

 ing returned to where we had seen the animal in the 

 evening. The tracks showed it to be a leopard, not a 

 lion. We then went on to look for the buffalo. I saw 

 numerous reedbuck, but none that tempted me to 

 shoot, and after a long search we found where a herd 

 of buffalo had fed in the river-bed during the night. 

 K. followed the trail for some distance, but it was 



