A FINE HERD 



We then proceeded eastward for about five miles, 

 when I suddenly spotted in the shadows a couple of 

 topi resting under a tree ; motioning the others to lie 

 down I went on alone, determined to get one this 

 time. As long as game can be seen in this kind of 

 country, before they are aware of the proximity of 

 danger, it is generally possible to get within very 

 short range, but it means constant watchfulness and 

 very careful walking. I made a good stalk, and 

 finally crawling round a bush saw, not 35 yards 

 away (for I paced it afterwards), a herd of twenty- 

 three topi, some feeding, others resting. It was a 

 beautiful sight ; their coats glistened in the early 

 morning sunlight, the purple patches showing clearly 

 on face and shoulder against the buff of the body 

 colour ; they were motionless save for the twitch- 

 ino- of their tails to and fro as the flies bothered 

 them, and were quite unconscious of my presence. 

 I watched them for a minute or so, and then, choosing 

 the one with the biggest horns, shot it through the 

 neck, killing it stone dead. It proved to be a large 

 cow, with fine heavy horns, nineteen and a quarter 

 inches in length. 



After I had photographed it and had sent back 

 a man to fetch a camel, in order to carry the meat 

 back to camp, I went on again in search of arrola. 

 Just before noon I reached a thick belt of forest, with 

 a most lovely pool of water among the trees. It was 

 the first clear water I had seen since leaving Kismayu, 

 and though it was stained a deep brown, from the 

 roots of the surrounding trees, it was cool and sweet 

 to the taste. My guide told me that this was a well- 

 known game resort, and was called by the natives 

 Jana Nyeri ; so I decided to camp here, and sent 



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