86 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



way to camp we were charged by a rhino. I was obliged to 

 give it a shot in self-defence, which turned it off " Papa " 

 scooted like lightning and then cried out, much to my amuse- 

 ment. He laughed as heartily himself afterwards, and used to 

 imitate the way he had screamed and make fun of his own 

 discomfiture. It is certainly unpleasant to be charged by a 

 great snorting brute in the dark. My cook was gratified with 

 a huge mass of fat from round the eland's heart, which kept 

 his frying-pan supplied for some time. 



As we neared the Lorogi Mountains the vegetation, which 

 farther back had been parched, gradually became greener, and 

 near the foot of the range was perfectly spring-like. The 

 quantity of muddy water in the Seya River, too, showed that 

 much rain was falling on the hills, and the summits were often 

 capped with heavy clouds, some of the showers from which 

 often reached the low country below. The air too felt quite 

 different, a pleasant softness showing a moister atmosphere ; 

 indeed, we seemed to have got into another and much 

 pleasanter climate than the excessively dry one of the open 

 country behind. I made my camp on the El Bogoi, a pleasant 

 little clear stream, a few miles from the foot of the range, and 

 at once sent back two-thirds of my men to fetch more food 

 from Laiju, intending to wait here for their return (which I 

 expected in about twenty days) and then push on to Donyo le 

 Nyiro (Mt. Nyiro), near the south end of Lake Rudolph, which 

 I had been informed was the best district for elephants. 

 Without donkeys I knew I could not do any good farther 

 north than that. I trusted to luck to my camp being pitched 

 in a suitable neighbourhood ; and, though I did no good there 

 at that time, it eventually proved to be about as advantageous 

 a position as I could have chosen in the district. 



It took us a couple of days to find the Ndorobos of this 

 district, but I afterwards got to be great friends with them. 

 They showed me where to look for game, as there was 

 none close about, and if I shot more than I needed to 



