THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 21 



danger, and no one hunting in the far Interior of Soutli Africa 

 should ever be without one. 



Having so many different enemies to contend with, it is now- 

 adays rare for the larger species of game to approach water during 

 the day, except in a few districts where they are seldom disturbed. 

 They generally steal down at night through the bush-covered banks 

 of the rivers to drink, and having quenched their thirst are imme- 

 diately off again in the direction of their day resorts," which are, as 

 a general rule, long distances away, and which they usually manage 

 to reach before dawn. To be a successful hunter, now, it is not 

 only necessary to be a good rider and a steady, cool, and deliberate 

 rifle shot, but also to be well acquainted with the shape of the spoor 

 imprinted in the sand of the different varieties of game pursued; and, 

 from continual practice, to possess and retain the gift of accurately 

 determining whether such spoor is fresh or stale, which is not by 

 any means easy of acquirement. To a sportsman failing in this 

 respect, the prospects of success are always very uncertain, and the 

 aid of the Masarwas (Bushmen), when obtainable, should invariably 

 be brought into requisition as trackers. If there is any game 

 frequenting the neighbourhood, these nomads of the wilderness, 

 prompted by the hope of obtaining a small piece of tobacco in 

 return for their services, or, what is more dear to them, a supply of 

 fresh meat, will invariably find it out. Perhaps the greatest of all 

 difficulties which a stranger in the country has to overcome is in 

 determining distances, the rarefied atmosphere rendering objects 

 extremely hard to guage, but this can be overcome with constant 

 practice. 



For the purpose of obtaining really good sport, it is far preferable 

 to adopt a systematic rather than a haphazard course. Just at day- 

 break, being already mounted, it will be found expedient to carefully 

 examine the spoor of the different animals which have been to drink 

 during the night, and, having chosen such of the species as may be 

 desired, and which have been the last to leave their imprints along 

 the muddy banks, to follow them up step by step. The Masarwas 

 start off at a quick run, which they are capable of sustaining for 

 hours together, picking out the spoor with unerring accuracy in all 

 its windings from perhaps thousands of others; and if they are at all 

 lucky, will generally manage to point out the game before the heat 

 of the sun makes further exertion uncomfortable for man or beast. 

 The chief drawback attending the hunting of the Giraife, Eland, 



