In^iWildest Africa ^ 



and cattle came home, and among them some gnus 

 which I had been able to obtain from an Arab through 

 the friendly help of Captain Merker. It reminded one 

 of pictures of old patriarchal days to see the animals 

 greet their expectant calves and kids. It was always 

 interesting, too, to watch the skilful handling of the 

 catde by the Masai herdsmen. The cows in Africa all 

 come from Asia, and belong to the zebu family. They 

 will only give milk when their calves have first been 

 allowed to suck. Only then can the cow be milked, 

 and that with difficulty, whilst a second herdsman holds 

 the calf for a while a little distance off. Thus it was I 

 obtained, very sparingly at first, the necessary milk for 

 my young rhinoceros. Some days there was a grand 

 show of varied animal life. Cows, bullocks, sheep, 

 goats, my rhinoceros, young lion-cubs, hyenas, jackals, 

 servals and monkeys, hens, francolins and marabou, 

 geese, and other frequenters of the velt were in the 

 camp, some at liberty and some chained, which caused 

 many little jealousies and much that was interesting 

 to notice. 



My kitchen garden was invaded by tame geese and 

 storks, which lived on the best of terms with the cook. 

 It was irresistibly funny to see the sage old marabou 

 acting as cook's assistant, gravely crouching near him 

 and watching all his movements. Very often the tame 

 animals in my camp had visitors in the shape of wild 

 storks and geese, which came and mixed among the 

 others, so that often one could not distinguish which 

 were wild and which tame. We could see all kinds of 



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