ACROSS COUNTRY IN A CARRIAGE 315 



Kinangop ; to its right rose the lone bald uplift of 

 Donyo Sabuk, and to the east were the blue Lukenia 

 Hills. The house-tops of Nairobi waved miragic- 

 ally in the valley, with a low range of blue hills be- 

 yond. Across the plains ran the row of telegraph 

 poles that marked the course of the railway and a 

 traveling column of smoke indicated the busy course 

 of a railway train. This was the setting within 

 which lay the broad stretches of the Athi Plains, 

 billowing in waves like a grass-covered sea. 



As w r e drove along big herds of zebras paused in 

 their grazing to regard the carriage as it merrily 

 bumped across the hills. As long as we remained in 

 the vehicle they showed no alarm, for they had seen 

 many carriages along the neighboring roads. It 

 was only when the carriage stopped that they 

 showed an apprehensive interest. Great numbers 

 of Coke's hartebeest watched us with humorous 

 interest. An eland grazed peacefully upon a dis- 

 tant hill, and a wart-hog trotted away as we ap- 

 proached. Immense numbers of Thompson's gazelle 

 skipped away merrily and then turned to regard us 

 with widespread ears and alert eyes. Two Grant's 

 gazelles were seen, w r hile far off upon a grassy hill- 

 side were many wildebeest the animal that we 

 were seeking. It was impossible to get close 

 enough to shoot effectively, and after a time we 

 gave up our attempts in that direction. 



The wildebeest, although living so near Nairobi, 

 are most wild, and with miles of plains stretching 

 out upon all sides it is easy for them to keep several 



