154 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



drunk later than he had done. If they had only been drawing water earlier these two 

 times might have coincided, and then they would have seen him drinking, which 

 according to their reckoning is much the same. I do not know if this is the actual 

 working of the native mind — very likely not, but he always puts himself in the position 

 of being a little nearer than he was, and by the time he gets back to camp he imagines 

 that what might have happened has really occurred. For instance, if he hears an 

 animal going away, or if someone else says that he saw one, he considers it just the 

 same as if he saw it himself, and points out most authentically the position in which 

 he saw it. If natives had such things as laws of evidence, " hearsay evidence " 

 would be admitted as every bit as good as any other evidence. 



Every African traveller must be familiar with the native who comes in with red- 

 hot khabar of game, " having actually seen the animals with his own eyes," and is 

 anxious to show you the spot. After following him for some time there appears to be 

 some sort of difficulty about finding the exact place, and no spoor is visible. When 

 pressed he cheerfully admits that he did not actually see the animals himself ; in fact, 

 he has never been to this locality before, so it cannot be expected of him that he 

 should be able to show you the exact spot. However, he as good as saw them, for 

 he met someone who had been told by someone else that he had seen the animals 

 and this was the spot he described. That someone else probably didn't quite 

 see them, but saw the spoor, or at least someone said it was the spoor, and so if he 

 had passed the day before at the right time he might quite easily have seen the 

 animals. 



But I am wandering from the subject in hand. Let us continue our little 

 excursion in the bush. This morning there is no fresh spoor leading down the game 

 tracks in the near vicinity of camp, so the rhino which might have been seen by your 

 porters has betaken himself elsewhere. You are a stranger to this particular part of 

 the country, and thus know nothing of the bush here, so your first step is to try to 

 find out something about the country. There are several little hills rising up out of 

 the bush, so, choosing one which stands more or less upwind and is sparsely covered 

 at the crown, you make it the objective for the first day, and wend your way thither 

 slowly and carefully, taking the line of least resistance by following the open spaces 

 between the clumps and belts. Sometimes you seem to be departing from the hill, 

 and sometimes you are able to steer directly for it ; but, in any case, your route will 

 be much longer than it at first sight appeared, owing to the winding and twisting 

 about. On the way you strike a certain amount of spoor, which is encouraging in 

 itself, but of the animals there is not a sign. At last you reach the hill and toil 

 steadily up, paying little attention to anything except the process of climbing, in 



