no SHORT STALKS 



to be no means of crossing without a detour, for which 

 there was no time, but on the way home we hit a 

 practicable crossing. There was scarcely light enough left, 

 but we hurried back along the opposite bank on the chance. 

 My friend had stopped whistling, but suddenly we caught 

 sight of him, and at the same moment he saw us. In the 

 heat of his jealousy he mistook us for a rival, and instantly 

 advanced towards us. We crouched perfectly still among 

 the pine stems, in full view, but saved from detection by 

 the dimness of the light. On he came with a most insolent 

 and overbearing demeanour, challenging all the way, till 

 he was within ten yards, when he gave me a certain shot. 

 This w^as a good head, but I improved upon it a few 

 days later. My best I got with a penny whistle. In com- 

 pany with Dick I reached at mid-day the edge of a l:)luff 

 overlooking a splendid basin a mile or two in diameter. It 

 was so densely timbered that stalking was difficult, but the 

 "calling" was in full swing, and we counted on finding 

 our game by the tell-tale signal. We had been late in 

 starting, and the day was hot, and even the most amorous 

 bulls had " (|uit " whistling to take a siesta. Dick said he 

 would wake them, and proceeded to gather the dry stalks 

 of a plant, out of which he extemj)orised a whistle, and sit- 

 ting down with his le2:s dano;lino; over the edo-e of a low cliflf 

 started a very passable imitation. I doubt whether any one 

 can produce the exact thing. The choking, pig-like grunt 

 which follows the w^histle takes more wind than human 

 lungs can produce. But they Avere not particular in these 

 parts, and the challenge was instantly answered by a good 

 but not first-class bull, who presently showed himself in 

 an opening, impatiently squealing defiance. Immediately 



