CHAPTER III 



July 14. — At our usual 6:40 we were off to climb 

 the first step of the escarpment. Struck a Masai track 

 and so went up rather easily. The donkeys travel 

 much better uphill than down. Met four Masai run- 

 ners, their spears bound in red indicating that they 

 were bearers of messages. 



At the top which was a matter of some fifteen hun- 

 dred feet, at a guess, we journeyed through a steppe of 

 thin scrub and grassy openings, with occasional little 

 hills. On this same steppe two years ago, but much 

 farther to the south, I killed two lions. Passed some 

 Masai villages, with the fair ones seated outside pol- 

 ishing their ornaments while the naked children and 

 the dogs played around them. Here I shot a marabout, 

 but his tail proved not worth saving. Shortly after 

 saw some Robertsi far down the valley to the left, 

 and got lured away after them. In the course of my 

 stalk I passed thirteen giraffe, very tame, that looked 

 on me with mild curiosity. Got within 200 yards of 

 my herd, and hit my buck, but only in the ribs. Then 

 began one of those long, stern chases that take so much 

 time and work. The buck was "unreasonably sus- 

 picious," and there was no cover in which to approach 



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