to loud yelps. Accompanied by these
dogs, about twenty men, taking between them one of the nets, of which
there were altogether about a dozen, set off to a spot fixed on, where
there was a clearing in the forest. Not a word was spoken as the men
crept along, followed by the dogs, which were kept close together, and
seemed to understand that they were not to bark. On reaching the
ground, the hunters commenced stretching the nets, fastening them up to
the lower branches of trees and shrubs, forming altogether a
semi-circle, upwards of half a mile in length. A party was stationed at
both ends of the nets thus arranged, armed with their spears and darts,
to prevent any of the game escaping; the rest of the men, whom we
accompanied, then extended themselves in another semi-circle on the
concave side of the net, at the distance of a mile or more from it.
Thus we advanced, the dogs barking, and the men shouting, while we held
our guns ready to shoot, and the natives had their darts prepared for
instant action. We might fall in with an elephant, or buffalo, or
leopard, which would of course laugh at the nets, but the belief
appeared to be that no such animals were likely to be found within the
space we embraced. It was often difficult work making our way through
the dense forest, and the natives had to hew paths for themselves with
their hangers. Getting in sight of the nets, we saw, stopped by them,
half a dozen gazelles, and antelopes of different species, two very
large ones of the latter description, which I should have thought would
have forced their way through the net had they made the attempt. We
fired, and brought them down. Two gazelles were caught in the net, and
others were knocked over by the natives. Altogether, the haul was
considered a very good one. As soon as the animals were secured, the
nets were collected, and the party moving off to another part of the
forest, again spread them in the same way. Altogether, in the course of
the day we killed thirty head of game of different species, when we
returned in triumph to the capital of King Sanga Tanga, who came out to
meet us, and was especially civil to us, his white guests, who had so
greatly assisted in supplying him with this large amount of game. On
coming back to our house we asked Aboh if he could explain why the king
wished to obtain this large amount of game, as all the inhabitants
together could not consume it.

Aboh looked very knowing. "