250 ELEPHANT-HUNTING [ch. x 



was clear, tlie stars shone brightly, and in the west the 

 young moon hung just above the line of tall tree-tops. 

 Fires were speedily kindled and the men sat around 

 them, feasting and singing in a strange minor tone until 

 late in the night. The flickering light left them at one 

 moment in black obscurity, and the next brought into 

 bold relief their shiewy, crouching figures, their dark 

 faces, gleaming eyes, and flashing teeth. When they 

 did sleep, two of the 'Ndorobo slept so close to the Are 

 as to burn themselves — an accident to wliicli they are 

 prone, judging from the many scars of old burns on 

 their legs. I toasted slices of elephant's heart on a 

 pronged stick before the fire, and found it delicious ; 

 for I was hungry, and the niglit was cold. We talked 

 of our success and exulted over it, and made our plans 

 for the morrow ; and then we turned in under our 

 blankets for another niglit's sleep. 



Next morning some of the 'Ndorobo went off' on the 

 trail of Cuninghame's elephant to see if it had fallen 

 but found that it had travelled steadily, though its 

 wounds were probably mortal, 'i'liere was no object in 

 my staying, for Heller and Cuninghame would be busy 

 for the next ten days, and woidd ultimately have to use 

 all the porters in taking off' and curing the skin, and 

 transporting it to Neri ; so 1 made up my mind to go 

 down to the plains for a hunt by myself. Taking one 

 porter to carry my bedding, and with my gun-bearers, 

 and a Dorobo as guide, 1 struck off through the forest 

 for the main camp, reaching it early in the afternoon. 

 Thence I bundled off a safiU'i to Cuninghame and Heller 

 with food for a week, and tents and clothing, and then 

 enjoyed the luxury of a shave and a A\'arm bath. Next 

 day was spent in writing and making prepai-ations for 

 my own trip. A Kikuyu chief, clad in a cloak of hyrax 



