3H 
WILD BEASTS AND THE IB WAYS 
CHAP. 
invaded the forests ; but whence they came, no one 
could satisfactorily decide. Rats also swarmed to 
devour the nilho seeds, and from the commence¬ 
ment of the blossom it was a most interesting 
example of one of nature’s rules, that wherever there 
is a supply of food, some creatures, whether insects 
or animals, will be ready to consume it. 
But when that nilho had seeded, it died ; the 
result was disastrous to the hunter. The long 
sticks fell upon the ground in chaotic entanglement, 
and in some places it was impossible to break 
through. It was always sufficiently irksome to push 
a way through the yielding nilho when it was erect, 
but when fallen, it was a terrible trial to the 
shins. 
I have already mentioned the fact that I 
never saw a sambur upon the open, unless 
driven by the hounds. The hunt was conducted as 
follows. We started at daybreak. I had a special 
costume for running. This woven dress consisted 
of tights, similar to ordinary elastic drawers, 
with a short jacket of the same material, that 
fitted like a jersey. These were dyed green. A 
pair of rather high ankle boots, which laced in the 
usual manner, the soles not more than a quarter of 
an inch thick, with about a dozen large nails in each, 
and the same around the heel. A rather broad 
leather belt, with a very large and strong buckle, 
and my hunting-knife, completed the outfit. A 
small helmet cap protected the head. A cup 
of hot coffee before the sun rose, fortified me for 
