8 EXISTING GAME 



is that of thousands of animals, usually seen only 

 in a well-organised zoological collection, walking 

 tranquilly about in the bright upland sunshine. 

 At those points whereat they are most commonly 

 seen the grass is so short, through continuous 

 grazing, as in no way to interfere with the spectacle 

 of multitudes of zebras, of gazelles, and of count- 

 less other game beasts which pay scarcely any 

 attention to the railway train as it shrieks 

 through their midst. It is, I understand, no 

 infrequent occurrence to see rhinoceros from 

 the windows of one's compartment, whilst lions 

 also are by no means uncommon. Journeying 

 recently down the East African coast from Mom- 

 basa with a friend who had just come from Lake 

 Victoria Nyanza, he assured me that he had seen 

 giraffes from the railway line, and that two of 

 these animals, at a distance of less than 200 yards 

 from the track, showed no disposition to disturb 

 their repast on the passage of the train at that 

 comparatively short distance. I remember also 

 hearing a story, vouched for by credible witnesses, 

 — ^that on one occasion, shortly after the opening 

 of the railway, a train suddenly turning a corner 

 came upon a couple of rhinoceros which had 

 chosen the permanent way for a temporary 

 resting-place. One of these, probably the female, 

 took to flight, but the larger of the two, after 

 one moment of resentful stupefaction, and with 

 the blind, headlong rage so characteristic of this 

 singular beast, gallantly charged the engine of 

 the oncoming train. I was told that quite a 

 perceptible shock was experienced throughout 



