THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 163 



thickets. This, I should say, is the peculiar character- 

 istic of the place — that the thicket growth is on the 

 summits of these small hills instead of in the hollows. 

 The thickets are nowhere continuous, and one can 

 always march around them. There is little water to be 

 found along the escarpment or in its ravines. This is 

 probably because of the volcanic character of the 

 country: the water sinks below the surface. At the 

 westerly end, the country breaks into rocky points 

 and buttes. The poisonous swamp is already described. 

 The bench is uninhabited, though native tribes are 

 numerous atop the escarpment. Sleeping sickness 

 is prevalent among them. Game is extraordinarily 

 abundant. We found it in the easterly and middle 

 portions; but undoubtedly it shifts location according 

 to the feed. We saw probably ten thousand head, and 

 of course examined a very small part of the stock. It 

 comprised the following species : wildebeeste, topi, zebra, 

 impalla, oribi, dik-dik, warthog, Bohur reedbuck, sing- 

 sing, Thompson's gazelle, Coke's hartebeeste,* lion, 

 ostrich, buffalo, crocodile, hyena. Saw also signs of 

 rhinoceros. Probably also could be found eland, stein- 

 buck, roan, giraffe, and bushbuck, although we did not 

 happen to see them. Altogether it is a wonderful 

 game field. 



* Saw no Nakuru on the west side of the river. 



