Year: 1872

Night is a favorite time with al
most all wild animals for feeding or
moving about. Especially is this the
case with these African creatures
which, during the day, pass their
time in forests or caves. Elephants
particularly select the night for feed
ing, and they will then quit their
dense cover, and wander on plains
where they would fear to show them
selves during daylight. On more
than one occasion we passed several
hours of the night concealed among
the branches of a tree, in order to
have the opportunity of watching
the habits of some of those animals
whose nature it was to lie hidden
during the day.


On the first occasion that we ever
tried this experiment, we had taken
for our companion a friend, who
was neither gifted with patience nor
with that enthusiasm which is nee
.essary to render a night in a tree a
pleasant change. We remained in
this tree some two hours, our com
panion, by his frequent movements
and the noise which he made, rem
dering it unlikely that we should see
any animal whose hearing was acute.
The bright moonlight, however, that
renders everything by night almost
as visible as by day, tempted us to
venture on other occasions to under
take night adventures. And on
more than one night We were reward
ed by witnessing events that do not
fall within the experience Of every
person.


One night in particular we recall
as a very interesting one. 1t was
after an afternoon ride near the
bush down by the Imvoti River,
where we had seen the fresh spoor
of several elephants, that we decided
upon passing a few hours in a large
tree that stood apart from the main
bush, and from the branches of
which a good view could be obtained
of the ground. For a companion
we selected our usual hunting Caffre,
who was always ready for sport, and
arming him with one of our guns, we
started at about ten o'clock at night,
reached the tree after about half an
hours walk, and soon were settled
amid its branches.


A walk by night in a country
where there are such animals as lions,
Ieopalds, hyenas, snakes, elephants,
buffalo, and other formidable crea-
lures, requires considerable caution;
for it would be excessively awkward
to run against one Of these animals,
or to turn a corner of a bush, and
suddenly find yourself face to
face with one of them. There are
some creatures which make a prac-
tice Of following men at night-the
.hyena in particular, as we exper-
fenced on more than one occasion.


Having taken our stations in the
tree, we waited patiently for a view
of some animal. In spite of its be-
ing commonly considered ga com
Portable place, we believe that there
is no seat more uncomfortable for a
a length of time than a scat in tree.
First, it is very hard; secondly, it IS
impossible to change your position
much; thirdly, there is always risk
Iof falling, particularly if you get
sleepy and doze, and it is almost i'm
possible to lie down, or even reelne.
Bat when it offers a secure retreat
from wild animals it has its adYant-
ages.


For fully half an hour we saw
nothing, although the rustling of the
bush indicated that various animals
were on the move. The noises one
hears at night in a wild country arc
very singular, and when heard dur
ing the stiffness of an African night,
few sounds are more striking than
the weird howl or moan of the
"strand wolf," or hyena. The cry
/ also of the jackal is particularly wild,
and can be heard from very great
distance; while the peculiar notes OF
various night birds is heard as they
fit around the tree in which they
discover an intruder on their do
main.