316 TO THE UASIN GISHU [( h. xii 



perhaps an extinct crater, and, looking from the rimrock, 

 spied a koodoo bull in the bottom. The steep sides of 

 the hollow were covered with a tangled growth of thorn 

 scrub and cactus, traversed by rhinoceros paths. The 

 bottom was more open, strewn with bushy mounds or 

 hillocks, and on one of these stood a noble koodoo bull. 

 He stood with his massive spiral horns thrown back, 

 and they shifted slowly as he turned his head from side 

 to side. Kermit stole down one of the rhino paths, save 

 for which the scrub would have been practically im- 

 penetrable : it ^^'as alive with rhinos : Kermit heard 

 several, and Juma, who followed some distance behind, 

 saw three. The stalk took time, and the sun was on 

 the horizon and the light fading when, at over two 

 hundred yards, Kermit took his shot. The first bullet 

 missed, but as for a moment the bull paused and 

 wheeled Kermit fired again, and the second bullet went 

 home. The wounded beast ran, Kermit, with Juma, 

 hard on the trail ; and he overtook and killed it just as 

 darkness fell. Then back to camp they stumbled and 

 plunged through the darkness, Kermit tearing the sole 

 completely off one shoe. They reached camp at ten, 

 and Jimia, who had only been working half the day, 

 took out some porters to the dead bull, which they 

 skinned, and then slept by until morning. Later, on 

 his birthday, he killed a cow, which completed the 

 group ; the two koodoo cost him ten days' steady 

 labour. The koodoo were always found on steep, rocky 

 hills : their stomachs contained only grass, for both 

 beasts were shot when grazing (I do not know whether 

 or not they also browse). The midday hours, when the 

 heat was most intense, they usually spent resting ; but 

 once Kermit came on two which were drinking in a 

 stream exactly at noon. 



