36 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



One would suppose that the great feet would 

 leave an unmistakable imprint, and so they do 

 in sand and on damp soil. But when the tracks 

 lead over dried leaves and stony soil, the spongy 

 feet form practically no impress, unless there 

 has been recent rain. A displaced leaf, an inch 

 or so of upturned soil, a broken branch, are 

 often the only signs to guide your trackers, who, 

 unless they are really good men, will be certain 

 to lose the tracks before very long. I shall have 

 more to say about trackers in another chapter, 

 but I may remark en passant that few things 

 are more annoying than to follow tracks for 

 several hours, and eventually have to give them 

 up. A Burman objects more than most Orientals 

 to saying that he cannot do what is required of 

 him. He therefore very often sets out gaily to 

 track, knowing in his heart of hearts that as 

 soon as the tracking becomes difficult he will 

 be unable to follow. At first everything goes 

 well. The tracks lead, we will say, across a sandy 

 nullah and enter bamboo jungle, where they keep 

 round a hill. The soil is loose and heavy, and 

 the elephants' feet have sunk in at every step. 

 After a while a ridge is reached, and here diffi- 

 culties begin. The tracks cease to become 

 patent to the eye, and check follows check in 

 rapid succession. Other tracks cross and recross 

 those which you are following, and your Burmans 

 keep up a flow of discussion as they peer about, 



