WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLB 



more malicious. His travelling companion in Berlin 

 underwent the same transformation. The three animals 

 soon died from tuberculosis. They were the first and, 

 as far as I know, the last white-bearded gnus brought 

 to Europe from East Africa. 



The gnus prefer the open, level country — the "boga" 

 —to hilly or rocky places. One can often see hundreds 

 of them enlivening the barren plain ; they seem to wade 

 about in water when the glowing mid-day sun bathes the 

 steppe in a bluish haze. But, as a rule, the gnus take 

 their siesta in the shade of scanty bushes and trees. 

 At other times of the day the herds are seen dotting 

 the wide plain. They seem to have their social rules, 

 which they enforce if necessary. The strong young 

 bulls, for instance, force the very old ones out of the 

 herd, and keep them out; these may, however, often be 

 noticed keeping at a respectful distance and looking 

 like advanced outposts. 



During the famine of 1899- 1900 I often observed a 

 kind of war-game between gnus and natives on the 

 dusty steppe between the Kilimanjaro and the Meru 

 mountains. The natives tried in vain to stalk the 

 herds, which always managed to elude them, being 

 warned in time by their outposts, the old bulls. 



Near the Uganda Railroad one often sees large herds 

 of gnus and of other antelopes, which are as safe al- 

 most as in well-guarded preserves, thanks to the energy 

 with which the English government enforces the law 



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