CHAPTER II 



ON THE JAMBENI RANGE 



Over Embe hills to Mthara — Description of country — Tlie natives : their appearance 

 and habits — Their mode of killing elephants — Fruitless search for game — Sight 

 bush buck — Tempting chance of a rliino — Critical moment — Trumpetings heard 

 — An obstinate guide — First encounter with elephants — Reputation as hunter 

 at stake — A longed-for chance — My " cripple-stopper " — Three elephants shot — 

 Change of camp — Friendly natives — Shoot an impala — Presents from natives — 

 Holding a " shauri " — The request for tribute — " Blood-brotherhood " — An un- 

 pleasant ordeal — My elder brother " Ndaminuki " — Track elephant spoor — 

 Native curiosity — Sight another herd — Their favourite cover — A satisfactory 

 shot — A good day's work — Ivory trading a tedious process — Scarcity of impala 

 — Kenia — A reason for making "shauri" — Visit native kraals. 



On 30th April 1894 about 6 a.m. I started from my " boma " 

 at Laiju with about twenty men, leaving the remainder of my 

 caravan of fifty all told with the goods, prepared for a raid of 

 some length on the elephants which I had been informed were 

 on the other (northern) side of the Jambeni range. The guides, 

 who had solemnly promised to come the day before, had not 

 turned up, according to the usual custom, as it seems, of these 

 natives to invariably break their word. Having become used 

 to this, I was determined not to let their failure to keep their 

 promise interfere with my arrangements, feeling sure that I 

 could pick up others on the way. On passing the kraal of my 

 " blood-brother " I looked in for a chat ; and he assured me 

 that everything was peaceful for us ahead, which was satisfactory, 

 as the Embe tribe, through whose country we had to pass, are 

 a treacherous lot. We had a thunder-shower on our way after 



