388 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA ch. xvi 



Having completed that task, I determined to give the 

 caravan one more day to recruit its strength before setting out 

 on the journey to the foot of the Jambeni range — which 

 would have to be accomplished by forced marches (" empty 

 hands," of course) so as to economise food, — in order that I 

 might try and shoot them some meat. I accordingly went 

 out early, with Baithai, on the second morning after our 

 arrival ; and, luck being with me, I killed two giraffe, with 

 one bullet each, out of a small troop I had stalked. I gave 

 my Ndorobo friends one, and the " safari " the other, which 

 provided abundance of meat for all hands, and made every one 

 happy. The extra day's delay gave me time to make some 

 additions to my batch of letters for the mail, while the goods 

 shed was repaired, the donkey boma strengthened, and our 

 ivory buried. The camp was full of Ndorobos, and the men 

 were very noisy ; but, though rather disagreeable, I put up 

 with that, as I like to hear them in good spirits. 



