THE BANTING 105 



called a halt, and we had some food, resuming 

 the tracking at 10.50. We now found more 

 droppings, still quite cold. At 2 p.m. we reached 

 a 'choung,' and the tracker was now able to make 

 a guess as to the jungle the beast was heading 

 for. It, the jungle, was quite close ; so, as there 

 were no signs of rain, we halted till 3.30, in case 

 the bull should be lying up. On resuming the 

 tracking I went ahead, as we expected to see 

 him at any moment. But still the tracks led 

 onwards and ever onwards, until 1 began to 

 think the beast must have some suspicion that 

 he was being followed. But no, the trail zig- 

 zagged from right to left and left to right, but 

 always heading in one general direction. At 

 4.30 we struck the second place he had lain 

 down in, but apparently he had only rested for 

 a short time. All this time the beast had not 

 once stopped to feed ; he had merely snatched 

 a mouthful of grass here and there at long 

 intervals. We found more cold droppings at 

 his resting-place, and at 5 p.m. some more, still 

 quite cold. As it was now evident that the bull 

 was some way yet ahead of us, I gave place to 

 the tracker, and we pushed along at a great rate, 

 regardless of noise, as everything depended on 

 our getting up to him before dark. At 5.30 we 

 found more droppings, warm this time. Thank 

 goodness, we were close to the brute at last ! 

 The tracker still led, but we went more slowly, 



i 



