22* AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



Now and then the game will choose a tree as a rubbing 

 post, and if it is small will entirely destroy the tree; and I 

 have seen them use for the same purpose an oddly shaped 

 stone, one corner of which they had worn quite smooth. 

 They have stamping grounds, small patches of bare earth 

 from which they have removed even the roots of the grass 

 and bushes by the trampling of their hoofs, leaving nothing 

 but a pool of dust. One evening I watched some zebras 

 stringing slowly along in a line which brought them past 

 a couple of these stamping grounds. As they came in 

 succession to each bare place half the herd, one after an- 

 other, lay down and rolled to and fro, sending up spurts of 

 dust so thick that the animal was hidden from sight; while 

 perhaps a companion, which did not roll, stood near by, 

 seemingly to enjoy the dust. 



On this same evening we rode campward facing a won- 

 derful sunset. The evening was lowering and overcast. 

 The darkening plains stretched dim and vague into the 

 far distance. The sun went down under a frowning sky, 

 behind shining sheets of rain; and it turned their radiance 

 to an angry splendor of gold and murky crimson. 



At this camp the pretty little Livingstone's wheatears 

 or chats were very familiar, flitting within a few yards 

 of the tents. They were the earliest birds to sing. Just 

 before our eyes could distinguish the first faint streak of 

 dawn first one and then another of them would begin to 

 sing, apparently either on the ground or in the air, until 

 there was a chorus of their sweet music. Then they were 

 silent again until the sun was about to rise. We always 

 heard them when we made a very early start to hunt. By 

 the way, with the game of the plains and the thin bush, we 

 found that nothing was gained by getting out early in the 

 morning; we were quite as apt to get what we wanted in 

 the evening or indeed at high noon. 



The last day at this camp Kermit, Tarlton, and I spent 

 on a twelve hours' lion hunt. I opened the day inauspi- 

 ciously, close to camp, by missing a zebra, which we wished 



