SECOND EXPEDITION TO EAST AFRICA 189 



shooting there did not come up to our expectations. 

 We saw no signs of elephants, and the other 

 shooting was not particularly good, and it was 

 difficult to hunt amongst the high reeds of the 

 swamp. The mosquitoes also were in countless 

 myriads ; and after 5 p.m. even the negroes 

 broke off boughs to keep the insects from their 

 faces. The camp-fires kept them away from the 

 tents, but hunting in the evening was difficult 

 and disagreeable. The place offered few attrac- 

 tions to induce us to remain, and it appeared 

 to be decidedly malarious. In the circumstances 

 we only halted at the swamp for one day, and 

 then began our return journey up the river to 

 Meru. 



After reaching Meru we marched across the 

 eastern slopes of Kenia to Embu. The scenery 

 was in places very fine, but travelling was difficult. 

 Streams, coursing down the side of the moun- 

 tain, have furrowed out deep watercourses with 

 precipitous sides, and the road crossed these 

 at right angles. Riding across these watercourses 

 was impossible, and most of this part of the 

 journey had to be performed on foot. We saw 

 no game, and did not fire a shot while we were 

 on the road. From Embu we made our way 

 down the Rupingazi tributary to the Tana River ; 

 and, after crossing the Tana, we camped for some 

 time in the vicinity of Juja farm, and within 

 sight of Donya Sabuk hill ; and in this neighbour- 

 hood we had some good shooting. From there 

 we marched to Nairobi. 



The journey occupied three and a half months, 

 and we travelled during that time, according 



