176 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



especially for my Ndorobo youths, whom, in its absence, I was 

 obliged to feed on our own store of grain, which we could ill 

 spare. Though very tired, I could not sleep much that night 

 for the mosquitoes. They came swarming up from stagnant 

 swamps lower down the river, which breed them both numerous 

 and powerful. I noticed flocks of vulturine guinea-fowl again 

 here. 



The next morning we moved on again down the valley. I 

 kept, purposely, somewhat ahead of my little party, on the look- 

 out for game ; and soon, as I came over a rise overlooking one 

 of the numerous little side valleys we had to cross, I caught 

 sight of several Grevy's zebra straggling slowly along through 

 small patches of cover towards the river. Watching my 

 opportunity when they were for the moment hidden from sight, 

 I ran quickly down so as to cut them off, and got within range 

 by the time the leading one came out into view again ; when, 

 getting a good chance, I shot it, and after a short rush it came 

 down in a cloud of dust. It was fat, and most useful as a 

 meat supply ; for my Ndorobo boys were a tax on my com- 

 missariat, the proportions of which were so exceedingly limited. 

 After this, of course, I got easy chances at oryx and Grant's 

 gazelle, when I no longer needed them. Cutting up the meat 

 delayed us an hour, and, being now so heavily laden, we 

 camped again, early, beside the river ; for, as it was near us 

 all the way, we could choose our time for halting. " What a 

 blessed thing," I put down in my diary, " a running stream 

 is ! " During this day's march we had seen some pretty 

 recent elephant-dung on the game-path we had been following. 

 This looked hopeful. 



So far there was little change in the character or direction 

 of the valley. The Barasaloi was said to join but a short way 

 ahead now. As to El Gereh, which I had always understood 

 to be the name of the swamp in which the Seya ends, the 

 guides assured me that we had already reached it, that name 

 being applied by the Ndorobos to the whole of this swampy 



