290 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



less able to look after themselves than forest and bush 

 animals. 



The Roan Antelope is also local and comparatively 

 uncommon. They are found near Muhoroni, where 

 there may be 150, in the Ithanga hills, where there 

 are about 50 ; there are one or two small herds north- 

 east of the railway line from Ulu and Simba, also on the 

 southern extremity of the Uasin Guishu plateau, and 

 they exist in considerable numbers along the German 

 border from Lake Natron, mostly, however, on the 

 German side. Horns run small, 25 inches being fair 

 and anything over 27 inches unusual. 



Oryx beisa is the common antelope of the northern 

 deserts, though he does not penetrate as far into the 

 waterless stretches as gerenuk or Grant's gazelle. In 

 the flesh he is a handsome beast with his distinct 

 markings and long, rapier-like horns. The mounted 

 head, however, forms a somewhat disappointing 

 trophy. Oryx are first met with to the north of Liki- 

 pia, and become very common along the Northern 

 Guaso Nyero and again round Lake Marsabit. 

 Shooters along the North Guaso Nyero probably get 

 an exaggerated idea of the numbers of this antelope, 

 since in all probability they are on its banks considerably 

 more than half the whole total of beisa in the Protecto- 

 rate, a total which I doubt exceeds 10,000. Oryx meat 

 is good, being like eland, though somewhat tougher. 

 The hide is very thick and tough, being at least an 

 inch in depth over the shoulders, and is prized accord- 

 ingly by native warriors. After giraffe and buffalo, 

 it forms the best material for shields. Where molested 

 oryx are very shy, but occasionally they appear 

 extraordinarily tame. The further north one goes the 

 greater length the general average of horns attain. 



