1 62 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



effects of the " fly " we had come through ; the numerous streams, 

 too, caused much delay and trouble with the pack-animals ; 

 but, when once the point of the Jambeni hills is weathered, the 

 country becomes more open and the grass less rank, and from 

 there onward it is healthy for them. It is also less tiresome 

 to travel through, though the marching is rendered very arduous 

 by the rough lava rock which strews the ground. It would be 

 quite impossible for the porters to carry their heavy loads over 

 such ground with bare feet, for even one's own get sore ; but 

 with sandals of game hide, and travelling slowly, they do not 

 suffer. In some parts, too, game is plentiful now, and I was 

 able to get meat for the caravan. Between the last of the 

 streams and the end of the range especially, I saw great 

 quantities of game. Here the grass had been burnt in the open 

 plains, which was a great comfort for walking, though the air 

 was often filled with smuts, making one's eyes sore. In places 

 the young green grass was springing, and this had attracted 

 the game. The smaller zebra were in hundreds, and I saw 

 a good-sized troop of elands, perhaps thirty — a sight I had 

 not seen for years and a pleasant one ; I also saw a little 

 lot of giraffe, and counted eight rhino within quite a short 

 distance. There were a few Grant's gazelle, too, one of 

 which I shot. As this was a waterless march, though, I did 

 not attempt to kill more meat for the men, as it only makes 

 them thirsty under such circumstances. It is rather hard 

 to say why the rhino should collect in the burnt ground : 

 perhaps they find roots or bulbs to eat, or it may be merely 

 for the sake of company that they follow the other game. 

 Lions were to be heard at night, as a consequence of the 

 abundance of zebra. 



I had some anxiety now about my donkeys, fearing lest they 

 might all, or nearly all, die, and so upset again my plan for 

 visiting Rudolph. But I comforted myself with my favourite 

 motto — " Whatever is, is best," — feeling that I had done all I 

 couldj though it was heart-rending to see them dropping off one 



