Ronald Stevens—Capturing Waterfowl



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in zebra-hair nooses, but they all came to an untimely end. One

hung itself, three escaped with some Pochard and Knobnosed when

cattle broke into the pen during my absence afterwards, and the

survivor met its fate in an accident, of which more anon.


In due course all the young birds were successfully reared, and I

thought it time to move on to another part of the country to try for

other species. I was advised to go farther north so prepared accordingly.

Unfortunately this Land of Promise transpired to be Native Keserve.

The Provincial Commissioner pointed out to me politely but firmly

that no visitor had ever been allowed to enter this territory and that

no exception could be made in my case. He was most vigorously

supported by the District Commissioner. I was further informed that

there was only one man in the country who had the power to give me

permission and that was the Governor himself. So I decided to apply

to His Excellency who was expected in the district in a few weeks’

time. It meant the loss of at least a month’s valuable time and the

probability of having to give up all hope of catching any young

birds, but there was really no other course open as conditions in other

parts of the continent were unknown to me and to everyone

I met.


To fill in the time of waiting I decided to visit another pan outside

the Reserve, and was actually en route when I met a pioneer of the

country who persuaded me to return to the pan I had already visited.

He said it was the best pan outside the Reserve, certainly better

than the one which I had then intended visiting. His advice was

much appreciated. Fortunately, the site of my former campaign was

not very far distant, and I thought that if I could catch some more

Pochard and some Hottentot a revisit would be well worth while.


On arrival at the now familiar surroundings I soon discovered,

to my horror, that the duck were not so numerous as before. Further,

the water was drying up. Traps were built in feverish haste, but no

Pochard were caught as there were few about, and the Hottentot

were as disdainful as usual. The only captures were twenty Knobnosed

which, besides being the least required among the desiderata, were all

immature drakes and so useless to me. These disappointing days

of receding water and vanishing flocks were, if I had but known, a



