108 HUNTING WITH THE KARENS 



With the first light of day in the morning we 

 found the tracks, but nothing developed until about 

 three o'clock when, hearing a little noise, we 

 stopped in our stalking and listened. I tried to 

 learn the direction of the wind, but it was impos- 

 sible to say if there was wind, and if so, what its 

 direction. Yet again the noise, and we stood so 

 still on those very fresh tracks with the noise of 

 the moving buffalo sounding in our ears, that I 

 could hear my heart beat. It happened that where 

 we stood was about the densest of dense jungle ; we 

 were literally encircled with twining rotan, bushes 

 and cane and thorn vines. I was fearful of 

 moving, but move we must in order to approach 

 the buffalo. I took the jungle knife away from 

 Wan and gave him my gun, for I wanted to be 

 sure no noise was made in cutting our path. Soon 

 I discarded the jungle knife and drew the smaller 

 one I always carry in my belt for eating and gen- 

 eral utility. We made our way a few feet at a 

 time, bending low in the effort to get a sight ahead 

 and locate the buffalo which we could now plainly 

 hear moving. It seemed not over ten or fifteen 

 yards off. The* suspense was intense. The most 

 agonizing thoughts chased through my head— that 

 Wan would drag my rifle, that I would drop my 

 knife, or stumble, or something would happen to 

 scare off our quarry, or that I might sight it run- 



