After Elephant 



he knew I was after elephant, he made all the 

 arrangements for me, while I ate my breakfast in / » 

 the mud-house, which the chief had erected to serve ^ b 

 the dual purpose of a bazaar or assembly house for 

 chiefs, and a banda to give a night's shelter to the 

 passing Mzungu (European). 



After my meal, which I ate surrounded by 

 an admiring circle of natives, who were struck 

 dumb with amazement as they watched me play- 

 ing with the knife and fork, I said good-bye 

 to the chiefs son, and gave him some medicines 

 for his father. He was very grateful, and sent 

 his orderly, who was dressed up as a soldier, 

 to accompany me as far as the shamba of a 

 sub-chief, by name Mentebbe, whom he had sum- 

 moned to show me where the elephant were most 

 likely to be found. Mentebbe had worked for me 

 on a former occasion, and I knew I could place 

 implicit trust on his information. As I marched 

 along I noticed the grass had grown very long, and 

 I accordingly foresaw great difficulty in bringing 

 my friend " tembo " (elephant in Swahili) to book. 

 The country north of Kabula was very picturesque, 

 consisting of alternate hill and dale covered with 

 small trees. In due course we met Mentebbe 

 coming into Kabula in response to the chief's 

 summons. From him I learned the joyful news that 

 a herd of elephant had visited his shamba the night 

 before and had frightened his natives out of their 

 wits. He then conducted me to his abode, which 

 was a mile off the main road. 



235 



