76 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



While we were at Longonot Bird had a shot 

 at a lion, which had taken possession of the 

 carcase of a hartebeest, shot by Wood on the 

 previous day, and had dragged it into some 

 bushes. The lion galloped away on Bird's ap- 

 proach, and he fired at it unsuccessfully. He 

 followed the track of the lion, with the assist- 

 ance of his gun-bearer, for a considerable distance, 

 and had a second chance; but he was shooting 

 with a borrowed rifle, and either missed or only 

 slightly wounded the animal. We all turned 

 out in the afternoon and followed the track 

 for a considerable distance ; but we saw him no 

 more. 



From Nairobi Judd returned with a pony and 

 a very good mule, and we purchased a Masai 

 donkey at Naivasha. This made travelling much 

 more pleasurable. An occasional ride, even for 

 a short distance, saves you from leg-weariness, 

 and also saves you from becoming uncomfortably 

 thirsty. Up to a point, it is pleasant enough to 

 " raise a thirst, " as Mr. Kipling describes it, 

 but when your mouth and throat are absolutely 

 parched thirst detracts very much from the 

 pleasure of a shooting expedition. The pony 

 fell sick and died very soon after we bought him, 

 but the mule and the donkey were very useful. 



From Naivasha we marched to the Aberdare 

 Mountains on the 5th of February, and, camping 

 in a place at the foot of the mountains about 

 21 miles from Naivasha, we began a hunt for 

 elephants. 



Rhinoceroses were fairly numerous in the 

 vicinity, though they did not appear to carry 



