Work in the Woods 23 



the top of a large tree than the hair pulled by a thorn 

 from the mane of a lion, no more the almost imper- 

 ceptible black point which marks in the midst of 

 the grass the point of the horn of an antelope lying 

 down eighty yards away than a spot of blood on 

 a leaf though no bigger than a pin-head ; a bird 

 passing through the air, microscopic traces on the 

 ground everything was seen, nothing passed un- 

 observed. 



I will add that my men acquired the habit of 

 being together and with me, so that there was con- 

 stant collaboration between us. On my side, I 

 profited by the three years' lessons which I 

 took, and I brought all the attention, care, and 

 intelligence of which I was capable, to bear on them. 

 Without pretending to equal the natives, I was a fairly 

 good tracker, and when in the woods my eyes and 

 ears were open sufficiently to enable me to find out 

 things when quite alone, as happened to me often. 

 Moreover, my staff had much confidence in me. 

 Without being a crack shot, I am accustomed to 

 danger and possess great calmness ; being cool, I take 

 aim always with great care. 



A week was taken up at Chiromo in shooting at a 

 target, in order to make myself acquainted with my 

 new weapons, and to habituate my men in the hand- 

 ling of the guns which they were to carry. Their 

 duty consisted in loading, taking out the empty 

 cartridge, and passing me the rifle with rapidity. 

 Although they were to be intelligent gun-bearers 

 rather than shooters, I put them through a few field 



