METHODS OF LION HUNTING 329 



a view of the hartebeest and waited patiently for 

 an obliging lion to come and be shot. 



Night came on and soon the landscape became 

 shadowy and indistinct. Trees and bushes fused 

 into vague black masses and the carcass of the bait 

 could be located only because it seemed a shade 

 more opaque than the opaque gloom around it. The 

 more you looked at it the more elusive and shifting 

 it seemed. The sights of the rifle were invisible, 

 and the only way one could find the sight was by 

 aiming at a star and then carefully lowering the 

 direction of the weapon until it approximately 

 pointed at the carcass. 



Of course, we were very still; even the stars were 

 not more silent than we. And little by little the 

 noises of an African night were heard, growing in 

 volume until from all sides came the cries of night 

 birds and the songs of insects and tree-toads. It 

 was the apotheosis of loneliness. And thus we sat, 

 with eyes straining to pierce the gloom that hedged 

 us in. We could see no sign of life, yet all about us 

 in those dark shadows there were thousands of crea- 

 tures moving about on their nightly hunt. 



Suddenly there came the soft crescendo of a 

 hyena's howl some place off in the night. It was 

 answered by another, miles away ; then another, far 

 off in a still different direction. The scent of the 

 bait was spreading to the far horizon and the keen- 

 scented carrion-eaters had caught it and were hurry- 

 ing to the feast. 



Then, after moments of waiting, the howls came 



