IX EXCURSIONS FROM EL BOGOI 209 



Mthara with stores of food, nor any at all except that another 

 donkey was dead. 



Being determined not to move away while there was the 

 least possibility of our leaving elephants behind us in this 

 neighbourhood, I started early again the next morning (17th 

 September) to work up stream in the same way as we had 

 done from below the day before ; sending two men meanwhile 

 to get out and bring back the tusks of the dead elephants, so 

 that we might be ready to trek the following day and have no 

 further delay on the way. But we found no fresh signs, and 

 it became clear that the yarn Squareface had brought me was 

 a " cock and bull " one, hatched more out of his head than 

 resulting from any careful investigation. I then went to the 

 dead elephants, and learned, to my great satisfaction, that my 

 Ndorobo friends had found the other quite near to where I 

 had fired at it. It was, as I had thought, a young bull ; and 

 I recognised its teeth (weighing 50 lbs. the pair) at once. 

 For I always remember the tusks of an elephant I have shot, 

 even though I only get a glance at them. The tusks of the 

 big cow looked splendid now they were out. I guessed them 

 to weigh about }^6 lbs. apiece, but they really scaled 38 lbs. 

 and 39 lbs., and still weigh, now they are thoroughly dry 

 (for I have kept this pair), about what I had estimated them 

 at. This is the heaviest pair of cow teeth I have ever shot, 

 by a great deal. The other two were also good cows, but 

 one had unfortunately broken her tusk in plunging about, 

 <iigging it into the ground when falling ; and, though we 

 picked up one piece, the tip could never be found, notwith- 

 standing that we dug up the ground all about in our search, 

 in which we were helped by the Ndorobos. These, with their 

 women and children, were enjoying themselves immensely, 

 notwithstanding that the game was, to say the least, a shade 

 high, to our ideas. They were in great glee over the old 

 cow with the heavy teeth, as she was excessively fat, which 

 made them grin with delight as they described their satis- 



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