264 THE LAND OF THE LION 
dark, this fine, shy buck comes down out of the upper 
thickets, and ventures into the green glades that everywhere 
border these pretty mountain brooks. I counted no less 
than sixteen bush-buck during one short morning’s walk. 
They were unharmed by me as I had already secured 
good heads on the Nzoia. 
There is one drawback to the foot of the Aberdare as 
a hunting ground, it is generally bitterly cold there. The 
mountain winds seem to be drawn down along the sharp 
edges of its ramparts, and the shivering sefaris always call 
it ““Beréta” (cold) camp. ‘The equatorial line here crosses 
the swamp and it is a strange experience to wrap yourself 
in the heaviest overcoat you possess and seat yourself by 
a roaring fire, exactly under the Equator! 
One of the chief charms of Embellossett is the bird 
life that everywhere within it breeds and lives quite 
undisturbed. Here above all other places can the naturalist 
study the aquatic birds of the continent. In vast numbers 
and in great variety they are here. I used to take my 
glasses and sit by the water’s edge in the evening, while 
flocks innumerable, dabbling, diving, swimming, would 
come before me. Some parent birds were just guiding 
their little downy balls of fluff out of the nests, for a first 
swim; others led forth broods almost fledged, none seemed 
afraid and this I think is remarkable. 
When the chase of hippo proved hopeless, I watched 
the water fowl a great deal. Not once in a long afternoon 
could I catch any sight of so much as one bird of prey, 
no eagle or hawk disturbed the mother birds as boldly into 
the open water they led their countless broods. Land life 
has many an enemy, water life seemed there to have none. 
Beyond Embellossett we enter Massai land, where 
till three years ago no one might come. It says much, 
surely, for English influence —it is scarcely fair to call 
it rule (for the civil and military officials are a mere hand- 
