- HINTS ON EAST AFRICAN STALKING, ETC. 189 
no haze. This haze, which only appears after the sun is well 
up, is caused by the moisture of the earth being evaporated by 
the sun. It is most noticeable after a heavy dew or a shower 
of rain, and is not only very apt to deceive even the most 
experienced in regard to distances, but as it makes everything 
appear to be in a perpetual quiver, it renders shooting very 
difficult. When taking a sight under such conditions the beast 
aimed at will often appear very indistinct, and will seem to 
move about in front of the muzzle of the rifle. 
There is still another argument in favour of early moveliae 
stalks, and that is, that asall game beasts are thoroughly awake, 
and on the alert, even though engrossed in feeding, the 
stalker knows that he must exercise all his wits to the very 
utmost to keep out of sight, not only of the beast or beasts he 
_ may be stalking, but of other game which may be either to the 
right or left of him. This knowledge saves a man from care- 
 lessness, and makes him do his very utmost in that keen rivalry 
between animal instincts and human skill, in which lies the whole 
_ charm of big game shooting. But although the early morning 
has its advantages, a good many of which are of the nature of 
personal convenience and comfort to the stalker, and has also 
its many charms, which are not to be experienced later on in 
the day, it certainly has a fair amount of disadvantages. To 
begin with, as a rule, game is not so easy to approach when 
feeding as when standing about orlying down. When feeding 
beasts are constantly moving, and although they may be in a 
Capital position when the stalker first tries to circumvent them, 
they very often move into an unapproachable one by the time 
he gets up to within range of where they had been; and of 
course, as before suggested, all beasts are very wide awake in 
the early hours of the morning, whilst, instead of being protected 
by only one sentinel as at other times, the whole herd is more 
_ or less on the gui vive, and the stalker may be detected at any 
_ moment by any beast which may happen to raise its head, 
_ Or which may wander in his direction after some dainty morsel 
_ of grass and keep him waiting in an awkward position. 
