WILDERNESS FOLK 93 



when we were slowly working our heavy trucks up 

 from Nairobi toward Lake Paradise over trails soggy 

 with the long rains. Through the light growth 

 on one side we could see a group of ostriches peering 

 at the strange visitors to their domain. Presently 

 their curiosity got the better of them. They began 

 to nm ahead and cross the trail in order to get an 

 imobstructed view of our cars. The trail was deep 

 with mud and puddles. As each of the big birds 

 reached it he centered his gaze on us. The first one 

 got over all right. The second was squarely in the 

 center of the trail when his feet slipped and — splasho 

 — ^he fell into the middle of a mudhole ! One after 

 another the idiotic birds rushed out and sprawled in 

 the muck with a great fluttering of wings and scram- 

 bling of feet. At this sight of ruined ostrich pride Osa 

 and I roared with laughter. 



The African wart hog is just plain pig; he looks like 

 a pig, tastes like a pig and usually acts the way I 

 think a pig would act if he were continually hunted 

 by lions, leopards, wild dogs and natives. He has 

 long tusks with which he does great battle with his 

 own kind. But they are of small help when he is set 

 upon by one of the big cats or a pack of wild dogs. 



In consequence of his unhappy lot the wart hog 

 has developed a distinct inferiority complex. He 

 looks enormously startled when you meet him. He 

 sticks hiS'little tail stiffly up in the air and gives vent 



