84 THE SHIKARI 



perhaps given rise to most of the stories of baboons 

 following human beings. On one occasion, in the dense 

 forests of Zululand, the author tried walking and then 

 running rapidly away, with the result that the baboons 

 could be heard also coming along behind, and when he 

 stopped they stopped, and if he walked rapidly back 

 they simply melted away. 



To the beginner or the man with a nervous tempera- 

 ment such experiences would lead him to believe that 

 the whole troop was after him, and cause him but to 

 run the faster and not inquire the why or wherefore ; 

 which is of course but a very human desire not to be 

 caught napping. 



When bayed with dogs, the old fellows fight like fury, 

 and many a brave dog has been badly mauled through 

 being too venturesome ; in fact, seldom do the dogs 

 close in if they are old hands. 



Boar and pig cannot easily be secured without the 

 aid of good dogs or systematic driving. On occasions 

 the bush-pig is accidentally come across without dogs, 

 but as a rule days and days can be spent in the forest 

 without getting so much as a sight of one, though 

 plenty of signs and even their still warm beds are 

 constantly struck. 



They can be killed with a shot-gun and very large 

 shot, tliough a rifle is a much more certain weapon, and 

 a bush-pig which had no less than six barrels in it got 

 away and was not picked up till later with the rifle. It 

 was one of a pair found by the dog in very thick stuff 



