222 BIG GAME SHOOTING: 
by the bush, a single creeper, like so much packthread to a 
buffalo. and yet quite strong enough to hold the stalker fast or 
trip him up, that he may be unable to get out of the way. 
Following buffaloes into bush sufficiently open to enable the 
stalker to see and get a shot at them at a range of 30 or 40 
yards is not attended with nearly so much danger as following 
them into dense bush, where, owing to the dark shadows, it is 
almost impossible to distinguish a beast from its surroundings. 
Although the spoor of a beast may be seen leading directly 
up to a bush, which looks a likely spot for a buffalo to lie down 
in, the stalker may not be able to discover whether the beast 
is there or not, and if it is there, he may be quite sure that the 
buffalo, as it is standing or lying down in the shade, has a far 
better chance of seeing him, as he stands more or less in the 
open, than he has of seeing it. As the chances are so much 
against the stalker seeing the beast until he gets within a few 
yards of it ; as the difficulties of stopping it should it charge are 
so great ; and as, if it misses him in the first charge, it will hunt 
him, I repeat, as a terrier does a rabbit, it remains for the sports- 
man, however keen he may be, to consider whether these risks 
are worth running, even on the chance of being rewarded by an 
exceptionally fine trophy. In any case he should not attempt 
to follow up a buffalo unless he is properly armed with a heavy 
rifle. 
Again, such sport is unsatisfactory, because in thick covert 
the wind is very changeable, and is apt to chop round when 
least expected. Such achange in the wind, even though quite 
imperceptible to the stalker, is quite enough to reveal his 
presence to the buffaloes, and away they will crash with- 
out giving him a chance, just at the critical moment when 
he is close up and expecting to see one of them at any 
moment. As a buffalo is a very difficult beast te see when 
standing or lying in the dark shade, the stalker has in most cases 
to fire as soon as he sees it, and even though he kills it, it may 
as often as not turn out that the beast is only a cow or a young 
bull, with a head not worth keeping as a trophy. : 
a Le a 
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