"hunting" VEltSUS " shootwg." 83 



out at his back door. If he is then rounded up he turns formidable, but does not 

 want to fight in the day any more than our duellist, before cited, wished to fight 

 at night. 



Neither the lion nor the duellist could be considered cowardly because he was 

 not anxious to fight against heavy odds at a time when the conditions of darkness or 

 light were unfavourable. During the night the lion is fearless enough. 



With regard to the danger attending the shooting of the various dangerous 

 game animals, taking into consideration the improvement in modern firearms, the 

 chances of success are certainly very much more on the side of the hunter. This 

 is no less than it should be, for if he were to have only equal chances with the 

 animal, it is unlikely that he would ever bag two such animals before he was himself 

 slain. 



One hears much of the prowess of hunters of ancient times, who used to hunt 

 and kill dangerous game with spears, swords, or bows and arrows. These hunters were 

 undoubtedly very stalwart and brave men, but a point which is not generally 

 brought to light when drawing the comparison is the following slight difference 

 of method, viz. : — The modern and sporting way of hunting a dangerous animal, 

 although it may not always be done, is for the hunter to go a/one against the animal, 

 or even against a number of them together. He will at most be accompanied by 

 one black man carrying a spare rifle. In the ancient hunts the hunters were, it is 

 true, only armed with primitive weapons, but as far as we can gather from accounts 

 the hunters used to go in hundreds and sometimes even in thousands to surround 

 an animal to kill it. The native hunters of to-day generally go in great crowds, 

 and presumably their methods are much the same as those employed by the 

 ancients. 



However, there are native hunters who go in parties of two or three only, 

 and these sometimes account for dangerous animals with primitive weapons. These 

 men are undoubtedly braver with dangerous game than the average European. It 

 must be remembered, however, that the savage is much quicker and more nimble 

 in the bush than the white man. He can throw himself into a tree with ape-like 

 celerity, and thus escape unhurt where the white man would most certainly be killed. 

 He can also run and dodge in the thick undergrowth where the white man gets hung 

 up or trips and falls down. 



The little scene I am about to describe will be the facsimile of one often 

 witnessed by the hunter. 



News comes in of dangerous game — say, elephant. Much to your annoyance 

 ten local natives insist on accompanying you to show you the game, instead of the 



