10 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



animal with enormous ears and long thin neck, 

 which lifts its head above the usual short thorny 

 bush. All these long-necked creatures, such as 

 Clarke's gazelle, ostrich, and giraffe, are usually 

 found in countries where the bush is rather thick 

 and short. Hence their height gives them a power 

 of observation which makes them extremely diffi- 

 cult to approach ; and this, not the ability to crop 

 trees, is the main advantage of this structure.. 

 But the general impression of the country is very 

 bad, and its commercial future probably means 

 only the formation of perhaps twenty ostrich farms. 

 One can only buy a chicken at four places between 

 Mombasa and Kibwezi. 



Another bad feature of the desert seems to be 

 the absence of water over long stretches of the 

 way. It is, I think, very probable that water 

 exists under the stony grit soil, and might be 

 obtained by boring wells, but at present one has 

 to be contented with that found in the stagnant 

 pools at Taru, Maungu, &c, which if not occupied 

 by the decaying remains of a dead antelope are as 

 a rule drinkable. 



One of the most lovely spots on this journey 

 is in a delightful little glen called Mkuyuni, under 

 a magnificent fig-tree which hangs over one of the 

 very few rivulets in the Teita hills. Here it is the 

 custom to fire a gun twice, to induce the Wateita 

 who inhabit this part of the country to descend 

 with provisions. 



