CHAPTER V 



NDOROBO ELEPHANT-HUNTING 



Ndorobo elephant-hunter — His weapons — Mode of hunting — My next success — The 

 spell broken— An early start — A simple repast — Tracking elephants — The hunt 

 — A promise fulfilled — Cross the Seya River — A fall-trap — A gigantic beast — 

 My attendants — Food of elephants — Their appearance at close quarters — An 

 infuriated bull — Incredulous guides — A novel charm — Return to coast — The 

 Gwaso Nyiro River — Welcome at Laiju. 



On getting back to my camp there, I was warmly welcomed 

 by my Ndorobo friends, who told me (of course) that there 

 had been no end of elephants in the neighbourhood during my 

 absence, and (which was more to the point) that some still 

 frequented the extensive jungle between there and the Seya 

 River. I was very sorry, though, to hear of the death, while I 

 was away, of one of the Ndorobo elephant-hunters whom I 

 had got to know well. He came by it in this wise. He had 

 gone out after some elephants ; and, getting near them, had 

 prepared for action by fixing a dart into the handle of his 

 harpoon. I should explain though, first, that, when after 

 elephants, an Ndorobo hunter carries a wooden harpoon handle 

 (fairly heavy) and a large quiver containing a number of darts 

 with iron heads as sharp as razors, the shafts of which fit into 

 the handle. The darts are smeared with the deadly poison 

 they obtain from a particular wood which grows in the 

 mountains, and each is carefully wrapped up in a thin strip of 

 skin prepared for the purpose. On getting near the game he 

 takes out two of these darts, removes the skin wrapping, and. 



