BEYOND THE HILLS 261 



animals coming down to water. One of the most 

 interesting features of our vigil in these thorn inclosures 

 was to watch the clouds of sand grouse that flew here 

 in the evening to drinlt. They would usually arrive 

 too late for photographing, so, after I had become 

 acquainted with their habits, I would take my shot- 

 gun in hand as they came swarming in from the veldt, 

 collecting enough in two or three shots to supply us 

 for the ensuing day. They are deUcious eating and 

 we never tired of them. 



During these long days in the blinds, I had ample 

 opportunity to muse over things past and present 

 and to dream a little bit about the future. Once I 

 took stock of my experiences, the surroundings causing 

 my thoughts to revert to my first night spent in a 

 boma, and I came to the conclusion that one of these 

 bhnds not only offered the most interesting way to 

 study the nocturnal prowlers but that a night so spent 

 furnished enough thrills to last anyone a Hfetime. 



After building a boma and placing a bait, you crawl 

 inside to await the darkness. As soon as the long 

 shadows melt into blackness, you will hear the yapping 

 of the jackals and a distant howl of hyenas, and later 

 the first ones will appear at the kill. You first become 

 aw^are of their presence by using the flashhght; you 

 have heard a noise and becoming curious as to its 

 cause, turn on the light to see, discovering a pair of 

 shy little jackals hungrily eying the meat. Later, 

 losing fear of your presence, they sneak up and hastily 

 take a few bites; then tearing off a good sized chunk 

 of meat, they run back into the shadows to devour it. 



Now you hear close at hand the unearthly cry of a 

 hyena and, although you have heard it hundreds of 



