106 HUNTING WITH THE KARENS 



this kind of stalking, not to mention the irritation 

 of having around you such blundering hunters. 

 The difficulties of getting buffalo are many, but 

 especially because they lie up in the dense clumps 

 during the day; and it is literally impossible to 

 skirt around under cover, as one might do in more 

 open country." 



Thus day after day I hunted buffalo, setting out 

 in the morning by sunrise and keeping at it without 

 cessation until dark. I often took the precaution 

 of moving camp several miles from where we 

 found or stopped on tracks. And in such manner 

 I went over every bit of that buffalo section. 

 There were days when I did not start buffalo, days 

 when I did not get even on their tracks, but for the 

 most part I started game every day of hunting. 

 One day, for example, after setting out at daylight 

 and walking six miles to tracks, I started nothing 

 until late in the afternoon, about four o'clock. 

 Another day I found no fresh spoor until shortly 

 before sunset, and then I came upon four, a bull, 

 two cows and a calf. I was about one hour behind 

 them and the tracks were getting fresher as I pro- 

 ceeded. The fact that they were leading to a piece 

 of jungle a little less dense than usual made me 

 hopeful, and I followed as rapidly as I could make 

 my way noiselessly, urging Wan to go swiftly, but 

 silently ; and Wan did his work well. The tracks 



