STALKING. 
325 
buffalo, the rhinoceros, and other dangerous game 
— beware how you proceed, as in a dense brake you 
are very apt to walk on to the top of the brute be¬ 
fore you are aware of his presence; and should you 
be accompanied by a henchman, let him hold the 
track (of which he should keep as much to wind¬ 
ward as possible), whereby you will be enabled to 
direct your whole attention to the quarry itself, 
which, if badly hurt, and after running a short dis¬ 
tance, not unfrequently doubles suddenly in the 
manner of a hare—in other words, retraces its steps, 
though not perhaps exactly by the same path, and 
whilst you are busily engaged in examining its 
spoor, will rush upon you unperceived from behind 
with the speed of lightning. From neglecting these 
and similar precautions, many are the elephant hun¬ 
ters who have lost their lives in Southern Africa. 
When stalking, and attended by inexperienced 
people, it is well to let the man who carries your 
spare weapon (he is supposed to follow on your 
steps) push it crosswise before him, or with the 
butt end towards your own person. By not being 
careful in this respect the most serious accidents 
may result, since a grass-straw, or a twig, is sufficient 
to catch and partially cock the gun, when an explo¬ 
sion is pretty sure to follow. 
It may be proper here to remark, in parenthesis, 
that, in following the bloody track of an elephant, 
the hunter not unfrequently finds every trace of 
blood suddenly to cease, when confusion imme¬ 
diately ensues as to which is the wounded animal. 
It is difficult to explain the cause of this sudden 
cessation of blood. Some suppose that, as is re- 
