HUNTING IN AFRICA 133 



of all, is the buffalo head. And here, at least as much as 

 with the lion, the local native can help. One of the chief 

 difficulties about the buffalo is, that some slight cause 

 may make him change his quarters. He is here in large 

 numbers one month, the next he is gone and trace him 

 you cannot. His chosen haunt is often inaccessible to you, 

 even if you are willing to take the risk of following him into 

 the dark labyrinth of swamp and jungle through which 

 he tunnels or crashes, or, wonderful to relate, moves if 

 he wishes it, almost noiselessly. You cannot do so. No 

 living man, not the naked savage himself, can force a pas- 

 sage without making a noise, sufficient to give warning 

 of his approach. Nor can the breeze be depended on in 

 these thickets. No, the only real chance you have, comes, 

 when he leaves his fastness, to feed in the glade or on the 

 marsh, close by. Now, unlike the elephant, which loves 

 rain, and can never have enough of it, the buffalo dislikes 

 it. Consequently information you collect with care, about 

 where you should go, etc., and when, etc., is by a change 

 of season rendered useless and misleading. You march 

 the sefari ten days to some locality where your friend got a 

 good head, where he left plenty of buffalo, and which you 

 have good reason for believing has not been disturbed since 

 he left it. Your hopes are high. Alas! nothing comes 

 of all your trouble; when you reach the land of desire and 

 hunt it thoroughly, you are not rewarded by so much as 

 a fresh sign. Never then be so sure of getting buffalo 

 anywhere, that you do not make arrangements to have 

 one or two dependable natives gathering information for 

 you, going out themselves to look for sign, in some other 

 locality, on which you can fall back, in case of failure. 



At most of the government stations there are such na- 

 tives, kept in government employ. The district commis- 

 sioner will always oblige you with their services. They 

 cost little and may prove of great value to you. Before 



