1 8 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



of years or so I was constantly taking rough sketches of 

 their footprints, or spoor, as well as sketching their 

 droppings and making notes on their habits. 



There are three important rules that should be observed 

 by all who hunt big game, and these are : 



i. Observance of the direction of the wind. 



2. To make as little noise as possible. 



3. Get close for the shot so as to hit a vital spot. 



There are plenty of other rules, but these are certainly 

 the most important ; at least, they are according to my ideas. 



On May 25, 1912, I went out with several men carrying 

 the cartridge bag, camera, and an axe, and we went along 

 slowly for it is useless walking quickly, as one makes 

 too much noise and cannot scan the country for game 

 and especially on the look out for elands, as a great 

 number of these animals had lately been visiting the native 

 maize gardens in the vicinity of Memeza's village. Every 

 morning their fresh tracks could be seen, and a herd of these 

 large antelopes will do as much damage as an equivalent 

 number of cattle, and in a further chapter I will mention 

 the amount of damage done to the natives' crops by 

 elephants and other game. It is enough to mention here 

 that the natives are not allowed to kill large animals, and 

 they usually only hunt pig and small buck with their pariah- 

 like dogs, and run the animals down by speed of foot and 

 terminate the business with their soft iron spears or 

 knobkerries. 



As it was late when I left the village I did not intend to 

 go far, but this was not necessary, for after leaving the 

 maize fields and getting into the bush for less than a mile I 

 saw some large animals about 300 yards off, and knew at 

 the first glance that they were elands. I may mention that 

 seeing game is more a matter of habit and knowing what 

 game looks like than exceptional power of eyesight. A 

 white man can become just as quick as a native in this 

 respect after plentiful experience ; and having shot a great 

 deal of game, and seen much more, I find I usually see it 

 now before the natives who accompany me. Spooring 



