HUNTING ELEPHANT AND RIDING LION 161 
east of the plateau, and bends in a wide sweep round the 
southern base of Mount Elgon. 
But this beautiful morning a genuine surprise awaited 
us. The sefari, a hundred and ten strong, stepped out 
bravely. They were as anxious as we were to reach the 
land of abundant n’yama (game). The long tramp 
across the Mau escarpment with its cold nights and high 
and beautiful, but gameless downs, had whetted their 
longing for unlimited “‘punda”’ (zebra). 
We had scarcely swung out, well clear of the last vestige 
of forest land, when a row of strange black dots caught 
my attention far away on the right of the trail. The sun 
was only just up, and in its earliest light the ripe grass shone 
like gold. Against such a background these black things 
showed up sharply. Could it be? Yes, here, far away, 
from woodland or cover, here is the elephant at last. We 
could scarcely believe our eyes. Sixteen great beasts 
moving steadily along at a pace that seemed far slower 
than it was. No doubt they had kept to their unerring 
course the long night through. That dangerous open 
prairie had to be passed. From the Nandi woodlands 
on the west they were bound to the Elgao forests on the 
east, a march of at least thirty miles, and so well was this: 
journey timed, that in half an hour they would surely be 
in their desired covert. 
With curving trunk they marched along, the sun glinting 
now and then on the ivories. It was a beautiful and inter- 
esting sight. I need scarcely say that we examined that 
dark line attentively. Were they cows and bulls, or were 
they cows and totos only? Alas! not a bull in the lot! 
It was a sad disappointment, for here in the open, had 
there been “‘tuskers,’’ there was no escape for them. It 
was the fourth time I had had a good view of elephant, 
but not once had there been a good tusk in the herd. 
Once we were satisfied that there was nothing there for us, 
