The guides led us down into the bed of one of the 

 mountain streams, and following this up we were 

 soon in the woods where the big trees meeting overhead 

 made it dark and cool. It was difficult in that light 

 to see anything clearly at first, and the considerable 

 undergrowth of shrub and creepers and the boulders 

 shed from the Berg added to the difficulty and made 

 progress slow. We moved along as much as possible 

 abreast, five or six yards apart, but were often driven 

 by obstacles into the bed of the stream for short 

 distances in order to make headway at all, and although 

 there did not seem to be much chance of finding the 

 tiger at home, we crept along cautiously and noiselessly, 

 talking when we had to only in whispers. 



We were bunched together, preparing to crawl along 

 a rock overhanging a little pool, when the boy in front 

 made a sign and pointed with his assegai to the dogs. 

 They had crossed the stream and were walking very 

 slowly and abreast near the water's edge. The 

 rawest of beginners would have needed no explanation. 

 The two stood for a few seconds sniffing at a particular 

 spot and then both together looked steadily up- 

 stream : there was another pause and they moved very 

 slowly and carefully forward a yard or so and sniffed 

 again with their noses almost touching. As they did 

 this the hair on their backs and shoulders began to 

 rise until, as they reached the head of the pool, they 

 were bristling like hedgehogs and giving little purring 

 growls. 



The guide went over to them while we waited, 

 afraid to move lest the noise of our boots on the stones 

 261 



