138 THE SHIKARI 



Only by keeping cool, and the brain clear and sen- 

 sible, will the hunter bring himself out of really difficult 

 bits of country ; though the obvious remedy is not to go 

 out without a native in any bushed or tricky parts of 

 the hunting veldt. 



Maps, Diaries, etc.— Every hunter should take 

 sufficient interest in his trip, however short it may be, 

 or however well known the country or that part of it in 

 which he intends shooting, as to at all times keep a 

 careful diary and make careful notes of all things that 

 strike him — of the natives, the country, and the fauna 

 and flora. Even the most trivial and everyday ex- 

 periences may be of value later on, and it is just these 

 recurring incidents that are the first to be forgotten. 



Only the other day the question arose in the Field 

 as to how the wart-hog carried its tail, a matter that 

 one would have thought was well known, and yet a 

 division of opinion was expressed on the point. 



Maps of the districts, if such exist, are always of use 

 and of interest, even if it is only to note where they 

 are wrong. 



Grammars and vocabularies of the native dialect and 

 languages should be carried and studied, and if only 

 the residents themselves can be conversed with an 

 added interest and pleasure is given to the trip, 

 and many useful notes can be picked up at first 

 hand. 



Surveying. — Surveying and map-making is quite 

 one of the most interesting hobbies that can be taken 



