CHAPTER VIII. 



MORE ELEPHANTS AND OTHER GAME. 



I NOW change the scene from Nyasaland to Northern Rhodesia, which is a 

 much better game country than the former, as a greater number of species 



are to be found in it, and the game laws are more generous with regard to 

 the number of animals that can be shot. On September 25th, 1905, I left Fort 

 Jameson, which is the headquarters of the Government in North-Eastern Rhodesia. 

 My intended shooting-ground was north-west of Nawalia, a small Government station 

 lying about ten miles west of the Luangwa river. The Luangwa is the largest river 

 found in this country, rising near latitude 10°, which is about level with the north 

 end of Lake Nyasa. It flows south, with a slight westerly course, and joins the 

 Zambesi close to Zumbo on the east bank, and Feira on the west bank. 



In the rains it brings down an immense quantity of water, which helps to swell 

 the Zambesi, but in the dry weather it is fordable in many places. During the dry 

 season, when all its smaller tributaries have dried up, the game congregates on both 

 sides of its banks ; and there is not a better shooting country left in the world than 

 its vicinity — from June to December. 



The principal species likely to be found are elephant, rhino, hippo, buffalo, eland, 

 roan, waterbuck, kudu, zebra, puku, impala, reedbuck, bushbuck, warthog, hartebeest, 

 and other animals. Perhaps the most plentiful of the species mentioned are the 

 impala, puku, and waterbuck, which are particularly abundant. A herd of giraffe 

 also exists, but these are strictly protected. Where game is plentiful there is always 

 a good chance of finding some of the carnivora, such as lions and leopards, although 

 it is generally a matter of luck seeing them, unless they are specially hunted. Many 

 men have lived a long time in the wilds of this country and never had a good chance 

 at a lion or leopard. 



Nawalia, the station mentioned, is on the Nyamazi stream, which runs into the 

 Luangwa near Maquechi's village. On the last two days of September I shot a 

 zebra, a warthog, and two Lichtenstein's hartebeest. 



The Litchtenstein is the only type of hartebeest that inhabits this country, and in 

 mentioning hartebeest it should be understood that it is this variety that is referred 



