ELMENTEITA IN SEPTEMBER 131 



I selected, as gunbearer, a Swaliili "boy" named Hamisi, 

 whom we had noted for his keen eyesight and aptness 

 in hunting. 



That afternoon (September 14) a tremendous thunder- 

 storm broke with tropical rains. The night, also, was dis- 

 turbed ; first jackals, then hyenas, wailed all around, 

 setting the station dogs barking madly until 11 p.m., 

 when a pair of lions came along and silenced the lot. 

 These last came so near that I loaded the Paradox and 

 went out ; but it was a black-dark nio;ht, rainino- and 

 nothing could be seen. Lions have a great stronghold 

 in the belt of strong bush that lies facing the mountain- 

 range of Eburu. Two Englishmen, we were told, had 

 recently tried for them, tying up a sheep and waiting in 

 prepared shelters on two nights. On both occasions, the 

 lions carried off the bait without beino; seen in the dark. 



Next morning we resumed our march towards Eburu, 

 the safari proceeding direct, while I tried the lovely 

 stretch of woodland lying along the base of the hills, 

 where in July we had seen so much game. Here again, 

 we found ourselves supplanted by the intrusive Masai, 

 who, with their herds, had occupied the whole beautiful 

 strath. Beyond, however, among the foothills, we fell 

 in wdth hartebeest, and I secured a third Neumann bull, 

 remarkable for his exceptionally massive horns, which 

 measured 11|- ins. in basal circumference. 



After some manoeuvres with Chanler's reed bucks, 

 fruitless as usual, we finally reached Eburu — since 

 abandoned as a station. Bad as the lions had been last 

 night at Elmenteita, they were as nothing compared with 

 the rats at Eburu to-nio;ht ! No sooner were lio-hts out 



o O 



than the brutes were running in droves all over me, 

 gnawing bags, boots, gun-cases, everything. I relit 

 the lamp, but it burnt out, and after the last match 

 had been struck, they were free to eat even the boots 

 that I hurled in a vain effort to keep them at bay. 

 Three-thirty brought relief, for then the early train 

 (running thrice a week) came along and carried us off 

 to Nairobi. 



