124 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



the path must be taken hold of and pressed gently back when passing it, so as 

 to avoid rustling, and it must also be returned gently into its position again to 

 prevent its springing back with noise. 



When once a fair amount of experience has been gained in stalking and in 

 knowledge of country and in marking down of a spot, then the methods to be 

 employed and the manner of approaching any given animal remains much the 

 same. There is usually, when wind and other matters are taken into consideration, 

 but one obvious line of approach, and the amount of success achieved depends 

 on the patience and care with which that Hne of approach is taken. 



Further experience does not tend to enable you to find other lines of advance, 

 but further practice enables you to appreciate quickly which is the most feasible 

 route to take and to put your plan into execution with all the despatch at your 

 disposal. While the novice will probably choose in the end much the same 

 route as the old hunter, he will take a considerable time in thinking it out. The 

 latter, on the contrary, will appreciate the conditions of wind, cover, and lie of 

 the country at a glance, and however unexpected the contingency that has 

 arisen will decide on the plan of action and begin to put it into execution without 

 a moment's delay. 



When the animal is seen from afar there is, as a rule, no hurry, and it is as 

 well to have a good look round first to see if there is anything else about at any 

 point which might have escaped the first hurried glances. Where, however, you 

 are suddenly confronted with game, or where the wind is bad, it is invaluable to be 

 able to make up your mind in a moment as to the correct course to pursue, 

 and the best and nearest cover available, and also the best places both for 

 immediate and for future movements in which you will be safe from betraying 

 your wind. 



As an instance in point, a hunter might be in a thick, tall-grass country and in 

 following an elephant path be suddenly confronted by a female or young elephant 

 coming back along the track. His first thought would be to see if it was a 

 bull or cow, and, if the former, whether of sizable ivory. If the latter, his next 

 thought would be to run away, and his third thought would be of the wind. With 

 practice all these three thoughts are realised and answered instinctively, and 

 directly you see that it is a cow you dive out of the way downwind and in the direction 

 of a tree if possible. 



One of the most important factors in stalking is the dress worn by the stalker. 

 For general use in East Africa I am of opinion that rather light colours should be 

 worn. Mottled yellowish and light greenish colours are as good as anything for 



