1 66 After Big Game in Central Africa 



Once having decided to hunt in a region, I had a 

 night-watch shelter prepared at each of the pools, a 

 shelter which consisted either of a hut, like the one 1 

 have described already, or of a small earth or stone 

 entrenchment, so as to protect us, especially in the 

 rear. More generally I used one of the ant- 

 hills which abound at the water's edge and form 

 elevations there. I cut out a seat 1 in it, and sur- 

 rounded it at the back with thorns in order not to be 

 surprised from that side. Other conditions are in- 

 dispensable for the establishment of a shelter : for 

 example, you must be leeward of the drinking animal, 

 not too near nor too far off, as a rule outside the line 

 by which it arrives at the water, and, above all, not 

 too high ; otherwise you are obstructed in firing. 

 Sometimes, when there were no ant-hills and I could 

 not do anything else, I have taken up a position on a 

 tree ; but, in return for the one advantage of not 

 being scented, this position presents serious incon- 

 veniences, the first of all being the impossibility 

 of moving or changing your place according to 

 need. A tree is hardly any security : you can- 

 not climb into it unless it is small (large trees 

 being out of your reach), and any animal can 

 spring into it witness that wounded leopard which 

 one day nearly reached our perch and sent us over 

 pele-mele at the risk of breaking our necks and re- 

 ceiving us on its back. On that occasion the animal 

 was frightened by what it had done and made off. 



1 On this seat we usually spread a piece of thick canvas, or an old 

 sack. 



