THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



tries to guess at what spot the buffaloes are likely to 

 emerge for their evening stroll. It is remarkably- 

 easy to make a wrong guess; and the remaining 

 daylight is rarely sufficient to repair a mistake. And 

 also, in the case of a herd ranging a wide country 

 with much tall grass and several drinking holes, it 

 is rather difficult, without very good luck, to locate 

 them on any given night or morning. A few herds, 

 a very few, may have fixed habits, and so prove 

 easy hunting. 



These difficulties, while in no way formidable, are 

 real enough in their small way; but they are im- 

 mensely increased when the herds have been often 

 disturbed. Disturbance need not necessarily mean 

 shooting. In countries unvisited by white men often 

 the pastoral natives will so annoy the buffalo by 

 shoutings and other means, whenever they appear 

 near the tame cattle, that the huge beasts will be- 

 come practically nocturnal. In that case only the 

 rankest luck will avail to get a man a chance in the 

 open. The herds cling to cover until after sundown 

 and just at dusk; and they return again very soon 

 after the first streaks of dawn. If the hunter just 

 happens to be at the exact spot, he may get a twi- 

 light shot when the glimmering ivory of his front 

 sight is barely visible. Otherwise he must go into 

 the thicket. 



340 



