312 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
is almost a necessity. Higher up still, from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. 
(the altitudes of the Athi plains and vicinity of Lake Naivasha), 
and up to 8,000 and 9,000 ft. (the altitudes of Lykepia and 
Mau), it is quite cold at night. At Mianzini in September 
1889 the thermometer registered 6° of frost. 
In the matter of health the amount of exercise thatthe sports- 
man will have to take will do far more to keep him fit and well 
than anything else. Care should, however, be taken to avoid 
chills, and any unnecessary exposure to the sun, as fever con- — 
tracted up country is more often to be attributed to one of these 
causes than to malaria. The complaints to which Europeans 
are most liable are fever, dysentery, diarrhoea, sun headache 
(which often develops into fever), for which Anti-pyrine is an 
excellent remedy, and ulcerated sores from scratches and 
abrasions, . 
With regard to snakes and other noxious creatures, there 
are many of them, and of many varieties. Most of the snakes 
are non-poisonous, but there are several, including a species of 
green whip-snake, a large black water-snake, a cobra, a small 
viper, and the puff-adder, which are very poisonous. ‘The last 
of these, and perhaps the most deadly, is also the most common, 
and is often met with both when out shooting and when the 
ground is being cleared for camping. These little ‘ disagree- 
ables,’ however, are rarely, if ever, thought about, otherwise 
life in East Africa would be intolerable. It is very rarely that 
one hears of anyone being bitten, and I only know of three 
instances, all the victims being porters, who are of course 
more liable to such misfortunes owing to their going about 
bare-legged. In case of an accident a bottle of ammonia 
should always be included in the medicine-chest, and perman- 
ganate of potash used hypodermically is also said to be an 
excellent remedy. A syringe and glass cylinder to hold a 
solution of the latter, fitted into a handy little pocket-case, 
can always be carried. 
The expense of an expedition entirely depends on the 
number of sportsmen forming the party, and on their individual 
