254 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



however, one has a false alarm, and the sportsman finds that 

 instead of having to walk only a few hundred yards, he has to 

 cover a mile or two of country before coming up with the 

 animal being tracked up, which may be grazing and walking 

 along steadily ahead of him. This happens over and over 

 again, and the sportsman is compelled by the signs before 

 him, such as warm droppings, mucus from the animal's mouth, 

 freshly- cropped grass, etc., to prepare for a silent stalk on 

 catching sight of the animal, which may now happen at any 

 moment. % 



1 dozen pairs of cheap canvas hempsoled shoes should also be 

 taken for your servants, gun-bearers, and trackers, who can 

 always be made to take them off when game is near. These 

 may be bought in Rangoon for Rs.2/4 per pair, or about two 

 shillings and eightpence. 



2 waterproof capes for your own use, made, if possible, of 

 stout weather-proof gabardine. 



6 cheap syces' waterproof capes for your men. These may 

 be purchased in Rangoon or Mandalay for Rs.4 or Rs.5 each. 



4 double-texture waterproof sheets, 7x7. 



6 common, cheap, stout, black cotton umbrellas costing about 

 Rs.2 each. Do not laugh, reader ! these are very useful 

 should you be doing any shooting in the rainy seasons. Each 

 man to carry his own waterproof and umbrella. I have always 

 found an umbrella in the jungle very useful indeed, and have 

 often saved my cartridges, guns, breakfast hampers, etc. from 

 many a drenching when a waterproof was utterly useless. 



The only portion of his person that a Burman cares about 

 keeping dry is his precious head of hair, of which he is very 

 proud, and the wetting of which disgusts him thoroughly, as it 

 necessitates his uncoiling, re-combing, drying, and oiling it 

 again. Burmans are besides addicted to catching fever or 

 cold by getting the head wet. 



2 mosquito-nets, one being made of very fine muslin to 

 prevent the entry of sand-flies. 



2 soft-peaked felt caps. These come in very handy during 

 the evenings or early morning, when the hat or helmet may be 

 discarded, or when game is being walked up in cover where 

 the foliage is sufficiently dense overhead to allow of a cap 



