GAME DISTRICTS AND ROUTES 71 
few years back. One writer may have experienced no diffi- 
culties, as both food and water may have been plentiful when 
he passed. Another writer may have had plenty of food and 
_ no water, and another plenty of water but no food, &c. The 
rainfall in East Africa is uncertain, and the supply of food and 
water also uncertain in consequence. Therefore all the very 
- latest information as to the food and water supply along the 
_ line of march should be obtained at Mombasa, before leaving. 
The information of a man who has traversed the route about 
_ to be taken only two months previously cannot be relied upon, 
_ although his veracity is not to be doubted. Only one month’s 
dry weather will make an enormous difference in a water 
sappy ; but besides this there are other things to reckon 
inst. Amongst these are the number of caravans which 
‘subsequently passed up and down, and the number of 
from Teita and Ukambani, who are constantly going 
and fro, often with herds of cattle, sheep, and goats, all of 
which very soon diminish even the largest supply. 
_ But when once the game country is reached, all anxiety 
¥ about food and water is virtually over. It is the getting to 
the game countries, when long tracts of foodless and often 
__ waterless wilderness have to be traversed before the sportsman’s 
_ Eldorado is reached, that is such trying and often anxious work. 
_ The Teita route is the principal one into the interior, and is 
also the principal one from the sportsman’s point of view, as 
leads to all the best game countries. This route passes vid 
aru and Mount Maungu. The wilderness between Taru and 
dara is commonly known as the ‘ Maungu march,’ and it is to 
this day more dreaded by both Europeans and natives alike 
than any other, and this more particularly when going up 
country, when the porters, not having recovered from their 
‘high old times’ on the coast, are out of training and soft, and 
y become disheartened. Coming down country with their 
ces to the coast, and the ‘ high times’ before them, it is quite 
i different thing, and there is little or no anxiety, as the men 
ll face almost anything. Unless there has been an exceptional 
