INTO THE GREAT RIFT 229 



he commenced reviling me and shaking his fists. The 

 first time he did this I shot at him, and he ducked 

 behind the boulder, only to reappear immediately, 

 using the most violent language I have ever heard, so 

 I fired another shot, whereupon Mr. Baboon made for 

 the higher elevations. I did not try again because 

 it seemed almost as if I were shooting at a human 

 being. These animals are sometimes very destruc- 

 tive, but here in this remote country they cannot 

 possibly do any harm and add much to the interest 

 of the wild places. 



Upon returning to Lake Hannington for more photo- 

 graphic material, I decided to obtain a comprehensive 

 view of the lake and country, which could be used aa 

 an opening view for the film story of the flamingos. 

 With four boys following, each carrying camera equip- 

 ment, I led the way up the steep side of the escarp- 

 ment. Mountain climbing in a cool climate is not so 

 bad, but here under the equator it certainly cannot 

 be classed as sport. The worst part was that I had 

 to ascend this sheer wall twice on the same day ; once 

 in the early morning and then again just before sunset 

 to make a closing scene. After a difiicult chmb over 

 rocks and through thorn scrub, with the scorching 

 heat adding its share to the hardsliips, we finally 

 struggled to a small ledge, which projected from the 

 face of the chff, almost at its top. There was just 

 room enough here to place the large camera and from 

 this vantage point I made a panorama of the scene 

 below. Perched here with the binoculars I could see 

 for many miles, finding that over all the visible ex- 

 panse of lake flamingos floated in sohd pink blocks, 

 some of them acres in extent. 



