THE BUFFALO 



As an illustration of the first condition might be 

 instanced an afternoon on the Tana. The weather 

 was very hot. We had sent three lots of men out 

 in different directions, each under the leadership of 

 one of the gunbearers, to scout, while we took it easy 

 in the shade of our handa, or grass shelter, on the 

 bank of the river. About one o'clock a messenger 

 came into camp reporting that the men under Mav- 

 rouki had traced a herd to its lying-down place. 

 We took our heavy guns and started. 



The way led through thin scrub up the long slope 

 of a hill that broke on the other side into undulating 

 grass ridges that ended in a range of hills. These 

 were about four or five miles distant, and thinly 

 wooded on sides and lower slopes with what resem- 

 bled a small live-oak growth. Among these trees, 

 our guide told us, the buffalo had first been sighted. 



The sun was very hot, and all the animals were 

 still. We saw impalla in the scrub, and many gi- 

 raffes and bucks on the plains. After an hour and a 

 half's walk we entered the parklike groves at the 

 foot of the hills, and our guide began to proceed 

 more cautiously. He moved forward a few feet, 

 peered about, retraced his steps. Suddenly his 

 face broke into a broad grin. Following his indi- 

 cation we looked up, and there in a tree almost above 

 us roosted one of our boys sound asleep! We 



341 



