CHAPTER IX. 



Bush-shooting Silent walking How to cock a gun How to sit down 

 Delights of the bush How to obtain honey The honey-bird The grey 

 monkey Ball better than shot Variety of bush game Hardening 

 bullets The alligator The Pouw Boldness of the eagle The Osprey. 



SILENCE and quietness are the two important acquire- 

 ments for success in bush-shooting, and a sharp look-out 

 must also be kept on the surrounding forest : the hunter 

 must move like a ghost, and have his eyes everywhere. 

 Few understand what the term quiet walking means until 

 they become expert bush-rangers. 



My careful follower, Inyovu, will now enter the bush 

 with me in search of buck. We are not armed for ele- 

 phants (that is, our guns are of too small a calibre), so 

 we keep a look-out for their fresh foot-prints, or other 

 traces, and immediately take care to avoid the ani- 

 mals. Inyovu has a gun to carry, more for his own 

 satisfaction than use, as he is a miserable shot, and 

 requires a longer time to aim than an artilleryman would 

 take to lay a mortar. From his professor-like skill, how- 

 ever, in silent walking, he could, when sent out alone, 

 often shoot and bring home one of the three sort of bush- 

 buck that frequented this region. When he accompanied 

 me, it was entirely for the purpose of carrying anything 

 that I might shoot. 



The part chosen for this sport was generally the most 

 open in the bush, and the least crowded with underwood. 



