Not only the hunter, man, but the tiger, the leopard, the cheetah, and other predatory creatures, take advantage of this foolish habit of the barking-deer; and stealing upon it unawares, make it their victim.
The bark is very easily imitated by the human voice; and after a single lesson, with Ossaroo as instructor, not only could Caspar do the decoy to a nicety, but even Karl, who only overheard the shikaree instructing his pupil, was able to produce a sound precisely similar.
Present hunger prompted Caspar to go in search of the kakur, as that would be the game most likely to turn up first.

There were other quadrupeds, and some birds too, whose flesh would have served better, as being of superior delicacy: for the venison of the barking-deer is none of the sweetest.

In the autumn it is not bad--nor up to a late period in the winter--though it is never very delicious at any season.
On that morning, however, Caspar was not at all fastidious; and he knew that neither were the others--hunger having robbed them of all delicacy of appetite.

Even kakur venison would be palatable enough, could he procure it; and for this purpose was he going in a particular direction, and not wandering hither and thither, as sportsmen usually do when in search of game.
He knew of a spot where kakur were almost sure of being found.

It was a pretty glade, surrounded by thick evergreen shrubbery--not far from the edge of the lake, and on the side opposite to that where the hut was built.
Caspar had never entered this glade--and he had gone through it several times--without seeing kakur browsing upon the grassy turf, or lying in the shade of the bushes that grew around its edge.