32 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



(as has of late years been the case through the great cattle 

 plague of a few years ago) the live stock decreases, the jungle 

 again encroaches upon these delightful lawns. The soil is 

 volcanic ; and owing to the loose way the lava rocks lie 

 jumbled together, most of the water runs below the surface, to 

 break out near the base of the mountains into the streams 



A View of Embe. 



(From a Photograph by Dr. Koi.r..) 



forming the head waters of the branch of the Tana which 

 Chanler and Von Hohnel had named the Mackenzie River. 



The contrast between the country and its inhabitants is great 

 and not in favour of the latter, whether in appearance, habits, 

 or character. They are inexpressibly dirty and smell strongly 

 of castor-oil — to our notions not the choicest of perfumes. In 

 common with those of Laiju and other adjacent districts, they 

 are much addicted to a habit of chewing the leaves of a certain 

 shrub, indigenous to the country, but which they also cultivate 



