SOLDIERING AND SPORT IN MASHONALAND. 
79 
their heads above water, or on a moonlight night when they are on dry 
land, but the former is usually the method adopted, on account of the 
difficulty of getting a good shot in the semi-darkness, and the conse¬ 
quently increased danger of merely aggravating the animal by not 
hitting him in a vital spot, when they will frequently charge and make 
matters very unpleasant for their tormentor. When a sea-cow is shot 
in deep water the carcass sinks, and remains at the bottom for about 
24 hours, after which it rises to the surface and can be dragged ashore. 
It might be supposed that the small boats and native canoes which are 
used for crossing or proceeding up and down these rivers would be in 
danger of being attacked by the sea-cow, but such is not the case, the 
huge beasts being constantly seen playing about within a few hundred 
yards of a boat without appearing to take any notice of it. But an 
instance did occur in the autumn of last year of a party of English¬ 
men, proceeding down the Zambesi in a canoe, being capsized by a 
sea-cow coming up from under the boat, but it was apparently unin¬ 
tentional on his part, as he made no sign of attacking the occupants of 
the boat when they were in the water, being probably quite as much 
afraid of them, as they were of him. Both the white men of the 
party, although they lost all their baggage, escaped with their lives, 
but one of the natives was dragged under by a crocodile, numbers of 
which animals infest these rivers. 
Although all the game mentioned above are found in fair quantities 
in different parts of the British South Africa Company’s territory, it 
is not necessary for the sportsman to go so far inland to obtain them, 
as he has only to land at Port Beira and proceed a few miles up the 
river Pungwe to find them in far greater numbers than he will in 
Mashonaland. The best time of year for shooting in this part of 
the world is from August to November, as the rainy season, lasting 
from December to March, is unhealthy, and after this the grass is too 
long until the latter end of July, when it has become dry enough to 
burn. In August, the old crop of grass having been consumed by fire, 
the young grass springs up in its place, and the game, attracted by 
this fresh pasture, are found in large herds, frequently grazing within 
a stone’s throw of the main road. The abundance of game in this 
district may be judged by the fact that on one occasion it was the 
writer’s fortunate experience to see, whilst standing in one spot, herds 
of no less than six different kinds of game grazing within a radius of 
a few hundred yards. 
< N.B.—The country has, doubtless, made considerable strides towards civilisa¬ 
tion since this article was written. 
