220 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



the meat. This is not effected without a great 

 deal of noise, which is continued without inter- 

 mission from the time the village is left till they 

 return with the meat. For six, eight, or perhaps 

 ten, miles from the village the jungle resounds 

 with laughter and shouts, effectually scaring 

 away all animals in the neighbourhood, who 

 communicate their alarm to others in the extra- 

 ordinary way animals do. Arrived at the place 

 where the dead beast lies, there is the further 

 noise of chopping bamboos, squabbling, shouting 

 and laughter continued for several hours, until 

 the last fragment of meat has been cut up and 

 tied on to bamboos to be carried back to the 

 village. It would indeed be a foolish animal 

 who stopped in that jungle, or anywhere along 

 the route, after this. Next day out goes the 

 sportsman who has not yet fired a shot, but all 

 he can find are the tracks of bison or tsaing 

 departing in a mortal hurry from the fatal spot, 

 and going goodness knows where. On his way 

 home after a long, fruitless day he, perhaps, 

 strikes a fresh trail in another direction, but it 

 is too late to follow it. The next day the other 

 man's turn comes round again, who finds the 

 same trail, or another one, and kills, or perhaps 

 wounds, another beast. And so it goes on. 

 Each time a beast is killed or fired at one of the 

 sportsmen must suffer, until camp is moved to 

 entirely fresh ground, when the game begins 



