122 ON SAFARI 



Elmenteita. Five minutes later, my blankets having 



meanwhile been transferred from the carriage to the 



station sleeping-room — a convenience that on the Uganda 



railway atones for absent hotels — I was in bed again. 



Starting, as usual, a little before dawn, we found 



ourselves at daybreak on a rolling grass-prairie literally 



teeming with game. This, however, is not the case here 



at all seasons. In February, for example (as will be 



shown later), the veld of Elmenteita is comparatively 



deserted owing to seasonal migration. To-day (September 



11) in every direction stood troop beyond troop of zebras, 



outlined dark against the coming sunrise. A herd of 



thirty-two elands grazed right ahead, mingled with 



them beino^ several ostriches and hartebeests, while the 



. . . 



nearer foreoTound was alive with oazelles in scores, and 



a few wart-hogs and jackals. Away on our right m the 

 sunlight stretched a string of orange-red kongoni, while 

 the distant horizon was silhouetted with the galloping- 

 ungainly forms of others of their kind. Were these 

 neumianni f 



Holding forward (since "herd-bulls" are never the 

 best), we descried a group of three ; and beyond, one 

 lone bull. To these we glued attention. The last- 

 named took right away, but after three hours' work we 

 still kept touch of the trio. The ground was perfectly 

 open — not a scrap of "advantage" or cover. Here and 

 there rose low, graduated hillocks formed of volcanic 

 debris, with broad flats between, on the pools of which 

 wild-geese splashed and preened, and noisy plovers 

 bathed. At times we seemed to walk almost through 

 the herds of zebra, which watched keenly yet undis- 

 mayed ; and we frequently passed gazelles and geese — 

 once even elands — within fair shot. Yet hour after 

 hour the coveted trio held us in check till the heat of 

 the day began to be felt. Then our persistent " sticking- 

 in " told, and suspicion slowly relaxed ; but it was high 

 noon before they offered a first chance at a long 300 

 yards, and a ball in the base of neck sent the best bull 

 staggering to earth. What mattered it then, in those 



