Emotions of Nocturnal Watching 167 



Emphatically a tree is not equal to dry land. Of 

 course, there is no contesting the fact that it is 

 dangerous to wait for redoubtable animals on a dark 

 night ; but you retain the possibility of flight, and 

 notwithstanding the doubtfulness and difficulty of 

 this action, the thought reassures and gives you 

 confidence ; you are able to hide yourself behind 

 your ant-hill, and even, if need be, choose before- 

 hand a near tree in which to take refuge ; you can 

 change your position according . to circumstances, 

 and, besides, are at liberty not to fire, not to 

 reveal your presence if you feel the danger is too 

 imminent. 



And then you must remember that in this form of 

 hunting the man has the advantage of the surprise ; 

 he it is who waits in ambush and the animal is with- 

 out suspicion. If at first I felt unnerved and full 

 of apprehension, I soon got used to night-watches. 

 Manifestly the emotions which result are much more 

 violent than those which day-encounters produce ; in 

 the absolute stillness a falling leaf, a shadow, a 

 breaking branch startles you, and the heart beats 

 more than once upon the approach of an unknown 

 animal which turns out to be but an inoffensive 

 antelope. 



If hunting in daylight is often a matter of taking 

 in the situation at a glance and of rapidity of 

 judgment, night -hunting, on the other hand, is a 

 question of coolness and calculation. You must 

 always beware of your senses, for many are the 

 errors which one commits ; the habits even of animals 



