THE GUASO NYERO 289 



terrific is interesting and instructive.* Doubtless for many 

 years after man, in recognizably human form, appeared on 

 this planet, he played but a small part in the destruction 

 of big animals, compared to plague, to insect pests and 

 microbes, to drought, flood, earth upheaval, and change of 

 temperature. But during the geological moment covering 

 the few thousand years of recorded history man has been 

 not merely the chief, but practically the sole factor in the 

 extermination of big mammals and birds. 



At and near Meru boma we spent a fortnight hunting 

 elephant and rhinoceros, as described in the preceding 

 chapter. While camped by the boma white-necked vultu- 

 rine ravens and black and white crows came familiarly 

 around the tents. A young eland bull, quite as tame as a 

 domestic cow, was picketed, now here, now there, about us. 

 Home was breaking it to drive in a cart. 



During our stay another District Commissioner, Mr. 

 Piggott, came over on a short visit; it was he who the pre- 

 ceding year, while at Neri, had been obliged to undertake 

 the crusade against the rhinos, because, quite unprovoked, 

 they had killed various natives. He told us that at the 

 same time a man-eating leopard made its appearance, and 

 killed seven children. It did not attack at night, but in the 

 daytime, its victims being the little boys who were watching 

 the flocks of goats; sometimes it took a boy and sometimes 

 a goat. Two old men killed it with spears on the occasion 

 of its taking the last victim. It was a big male, very old, 

 much emaciated, and the teeth worn to stumps. Home 

 told us that a month or two before our arrival at Meru a 



* On our trip along the Guaso Nyero we heard that there had been a fresh out- 

 break of rinderpest among the buffalo; I hope it will not prove such a hideous 

 disaster. 



