90 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AERICA chap. 



gone hungry and cold to bed ; for they are perfect duffers at 

 it when everything is wet, and will waste a box of matches 

 pottering with a few wet sticks and never getting a light at all. 



Of my stay in this district at that time, while I waited for 

 the return of my food caravan, there is nothing else of particular 

 interest to record, unless it be the measurements of a very fine 

 stallion zebra of the larger species (grevyi), which I took very 

 carefully immediately after death, as I was much struck with 

 the powerful proportions of these very handsome animals. 

 These were as follows : height at withers, 4 feet i i inches ///// 

 (or barely an inch under i 5 hands) ; length from forelock to 

 set on of tail, 6 feet 8| inches ; ditto to end of tail (without 

 tuft), 8 feet I inch ; girth behind shoulder, 5 feet p-J- inches. 

 It seems a pity such strong and useful-looking beasts should 

 not be made use of in a country where there is such a difficulty 

 about transport, and where all our domestic animals, including 

 even the humble ass, are so subject to disease. It is curious 

 that, although in their proportions, action, and the shape of 

 their hoofs, these zebras are far more horselike than Burchell's, 

 their ears are much larger, while the cry resembles that of the 

 ass very much more. 



As my men did not return when I expected them, I 

 determined to waste no more time, but push on without them. 

 Accordingly I built a hut in which to store what food I could 

 not carry, and leaving two men in charge (whom I knew the 

 Ndorobos would not molest), I started with ten for Mount Nyiro. 

 It became visible the first day, far to the north by west. On 

 the second day we left the bush veldt behind and entered quite 

 open country, not, however, grassy, but covered with thorny 

 and other plants, very verdant-looking and rather pleasant, the 

 air being fragrant with the scent of flowers and aromatic herbs. ^ 

 Water, though, is scarce, and the going rather bad, the ground 

 being stony, with much white quartz. Where water was not 



^ I discovered a herb here, with a flavour resembling mint, which I found to be 

 excellent|for culinary purposes. 



