286 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



out actually, in person, securing a specimen, and 

 where he failed it is natural that failure was general. 

 The existence of the species was established by skins 

 and horns brought in by native hunters (Wanderobo), 

 but no European secured a specimen until that fine 

 hunter, Mr. Stigand, killed a young bull, and since 

 then not half-a-dozen Europeans have obtained one. 

 Nor can any hunter yet claim a trophy through his 

 own unaided efforts. Of those who have studied the 

 habits of the bongo, Lord Delamere and Mr. Berkeley 

 Cole, whose estates adjoin a portion of the Mau forest, 

 have the best first-hand information. During the bulk 

 of the year the bongo lies hid in the huge patches 

 of bamboo that occur above a certain elevation. 

 When, however, the rainy season occurs, and the 

 forest is also more quiet, they descend lower down the 

 spurs. At such times they will feed up to 9 a.m. right 

 down to the verge of the forest, retiring after that 

 hour to the most impenetrable jungle they can find, in 

 which they lie perfectly safe during the heat of the 

 day. They must, therefore, in all probability, be shot 

 quite early if they are to be obtained. The only 

 successful method so far has been to get on fresh 

 tracks at daybreak and to follow them up in the hope 

 of coming on the animal before he returns to rest. In 

 the soft earth in the forest the track is easy to follow ; 

 but the best white hunter in the world would be forced 

 to acquire the services of a native guide, since to 

 retrace one's steps and to emerge from the dense 

 thicket is a matter of extreme difficulty and accurate 

 knowledge ; so difficult indeed that the Wandorobo, 

 who have an almost uncanny prescience of direction, 

 admit that they each know but a very small segment of 

 forest. 



