GAME DISTRICTS AND ROUTES 169 



is often both difficult and laborious. Lions are very plentiful 

 here, and are seen perhaps more often than elsewhere, owing 

 to the open nature of the country. The cheetah is by no means 

 uncommon. Rhinoceroses have here rather a bad reputation 

 for charging, which may possibly be accounted for by the 

 fact that they are so much harassed by the Wakamba, who, 

 when out hunting, and unable to get within bow-shot of game 

 by fair stalking, have to resort to driving, and wound far more 

 rhinoceroses than they kill. In the river Athi hippopotami 

 are very plentiful, and, I think, have finer teeth than those 

 in the Nzoia river and Victoria Nyanza. September to April 

 is the best time of the year for a trip to this country. 



Further north, the district round Lake Baringo, with 

 Njemps as a depot, is very good. Here the natives are 

 as trustworthy and civil as the Wa Taveta, and all surplus 

 baggage, &c., can be left at headquarters in charge of a few 

 men whilst the sportsman is away shooting in the surrounding 

 country. A few marches to the north and north-east elephants 

 are numerous. The water-buck (Kobus defassus} takes the place 

 of the common water-buck (Kobus elipsiprymnus], and the lately 

 described hartebeest (Bubalis Jacksonf) takes the place of 

 Bubalis Cokei. The impala carry particularly fine horns here. 

 As I have never made a prolonged stay in this district, I am 

 unable to say which months of the year would be the best to 

 visit it in ; but from what I could judge, when up there in July, 

 I should say November to May. 



The Tana river is another excellent district, both on 

 account of the variety of game and the quantity of certain 

 species which elsewhere a sportsman might seek day after 

 day and never come across, though he went out specially 

 for them. These are Waller's gazelle, lesser kudu, oribi, 

 ' tope ' (Damalis Senegalensis) and Hunter's antelope (Datnalis 

 Hitnteri\ which has hitherto not been found excepting on 

 the north bank of the river, some 150 miles from the mouth. 

 There is also a small antelope found here which has been 

 described as a distinct species under the name of Gazella 



