172 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



In the thicker forests, more matted with undergrowth, rhino love to roam, and regard 

 their retreats as safe. A wounded or disturbed rhino will often fly to the forest. One 

 of its special retreats may be seen in a patch of thick forest north of the Nairobi- 

 Fort Hall road just after crossing the Ndurugu stream. This patch affords a harbour 

 of refuge to the much-harassed rhinos of all this section of the plains.* 



The hunting of the forest is practically entirely done by tracking. For the 

 game of the forest is not so plentifully scattered as to allow for much chance of ever 

 meeting with animals when casually strolling round. Further than this, as I have 

 already said, nearly all the denizens of the forest are nocturnal in habits, so, unless 

 one obtains by following their tracks a very good idea of where they may be lying 

 up, there will be no hope of discovering them. 



The greatest of all reasons why tracking is so necessary in the forest is that 

 its floor is carpeted with dead sticks, whilst undergrowth and creepers bar the way 

 in every direction. To move noiselessly, therefore, necessitates one's going at a 

 snail's pace. If you are walking thus in the hopes of fluking on some animal, the 

 distance covered during the day's hunt will be infinitesimal. When on fresh spoor 

 you can afford to go with all due caution, for, as the animal will probably be lying 

 down the greater part of the day, there is a good chance of coming up with it. 



Again, the animals of the forest are among the most crafty of all game ; so, 

 when you are following up some spoor step by step and going infinitely slowly, there 

 is more chance of seeing the animal, or at least of getting near it before it sees you ; 

 for when following spoor you know that the animal has passed, and also that he 

 cannot be very far distant, and so your precautions will be greater and your outlook 

 keener than if you were aimlessly wandering about on the off-chance of seeing 

 something. 



The best method of procedure in forest hunting is to work round the edge of a 

 forest and dive into it now and again, along elephant tracks, goat tracks, or any 

 paths you may find. Sometimes quite feasible paths enter for some distance into 

 the forest, having been made by natives for the purposes of cutting wood. There 

 are also in many places regular elephant roads, known to native hunters, which lead 

 in every direction through the forest. These will often be found to lead to the tops 

 of mountains or hills of any prominence. The main roads traverse the tops of 

 ridges and necks, and up and down spurs, forming an easy method of progression 

 when compared to the rest of the forest. I have never seen it stated to what 

 altitude elephant tracks are found. On the Aberdares and Mount Kenya I have 



* I believe, however, that since this country has been so much taken up by settlers the rhino is almost 

 unknown here. 



