12 PERIODICAL MIGRATIONS 



represent the principal beasts found in Zambezia, 

 and are those with which the hunter may, with 

 a very small modicum of luck, be tolerably 

 certain of being able to try conclusions. 



South of the Zambezi, as well as within the 

 district of Quelimane, there are wide expanses 

 where at certain times of year one is rarely out 

 of sight of the herds. 1 suppose the greatest 

 numbers are still to be found upon the great 

 flats bordering the Urema River in Cheringoma ; 

 but, in addition to these, the remote inaccessible 

 plains lying to the east of the Cheringoma range 

 may be regarded in their season as being the 

 haunts of very large quantities of animals. 



One of the most interesting and difficult 

 questions regarding the habits of the game beasts 

 of Zambezia connects itself with the seasons of, 

 and the reasons for, their periodical migrations. 

 Putting aside for a moment the elephants, the 

 motives for some of whose movements are not 

 unintelligible, the remainder of the animals 

 under consideration have the oddest and most 

 inexplicable habit of disappearing for months 

 at a time, leaving their usual haunts well-nigh 

 deserted, and then reappearing apparently with- 

 out rhyme or reason. Thus, in the rainy season, 

 a time of year at which fortunately hunting is 

 now no longer permitted, I have seen on the 

 Cheringoma flats, between that mountain and 

 the grand range of Gorongoza, animals so plentiful 

 that for several days together they were never 

 out of sight. From the doorway of my tent on 

 the Gungwe and Zangwe marshes I have watched 



