BRITISH EAST AFRICA 217 



pearly mass on the horizon. Then, without warning, a 

 red tinge showed about it and the mountain seemed to 

 grow darker and more distinct. In the blue shadow 

 of the valley little twinkling lights marked the 

 position of the sleeping camp. It was very cold, and 

 we were glad to walk as rapidly as the increasing 

 light allowed. Big belts of forest held us back, and 

 alternated with wide open spaces starred with lilies 

 which glimmered palely at us under foot. For a long 

 time we pushed on with no signs of game. 



Through a narrow pathway cut in the bush we 

 emerged on the slope of a large glade. The greater 

 part lay in deep shadow, though the farther side was 

 tinged with the glow which comes before the sun is 

 fully risen. The side on which we stood sloped to an 

 abrupt dip in which the bush grew thick, and just on 

 the edge three buffaloes were feeding. They fed over 

 into the bush, but presently emerging walked slowly 

 up the opposite side with the rest of the herd. Eleven, 

 or rather ten (for one was a small calf) of the great 

 brutes moved sluggishly up the hill. It was the first 

 good view I had had in the open. They were quite 

 black save for the light patch behind the foreleg which 

 showed when they were in motion. There was not 

 a good bull amongst them, and I began to think my 

 ill luck had not yet finished. Then, on the far edge 

 of the bush, at the top of the hill, Hassan saw some- 

 thing move, and as we looked a herd of about twenty 

 buffalo fed into view. On our right, some distance off, 

 a leopard was howling, and at the sound they raised 



