The Number Of All Sorts Of
Game Increases Wonderfully Every Day.
As a specimen of what may be
met with where there are no human habitations, and where no firearms
have been introduced, we may mention what at times has actually been
seen by us.
On the morning of July 3rd a herd of elephants passed
within fifty yards of our sleeping-place, going down to the river
along the dry bed of a rivulet. Starting a few minutes before the
main body, we come upon large flocks of guinea-fowl, shoot what may
be wanted for dinner, or next morning's breakfast, and leave them in
the path to be picked up by the cook and his mates behind. As we
proceed, francolins of three varieties run across the path, and
hundreds of turtle-doves rise, with great blatter of wing, and fly
off to the trees. Guinea-fowls, francolins, turtle-doves, ducks, and
geese are the game birds of this region. At sunrise a herd of
pallahs, standing like a flock of sheep, allow the first man of our
long Indian file to approach within about fifty yards; but having
meat, we let them trot off leisurely and unmolested. Soon afterwards
we come upon a herd of waterbucks, which here are very much darker in
colour, and drier in flesh, than the same species near the sea. They
look at us and we at them; and we pass on to see a herd of doe
koodoos, with a magnificently horned buck or two, hurrying off to the
dry hill-sides.
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