The sights of the rifle were invisible, and the only way one could find the sight was by aiming at a star and then carefully lowering the direction of the weapon until it approximately pointed at the carcass.
Of course, we were very still; even the stars were not more silent than we.

And little by little the noises of an African night were heard, growing in volume until from all sides came the cries of night birds and the songs of insects and tree-toads.

It was the apotheosis of loneliness.

And thus we sat, with eyes straining to pierce the gloom that hedged us in.

We could see no sign of life, yet all about us in those dark shadows there were thousands of creatures moving about on their nightly hunt.
Suddenly there came the soft crescendo of a hyena's howl some place off in the night.