Chap, XXVIII. EFFECT OF RAINS, 307 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Notices of the Elephant. — The Chief Semalembue. — The Kaf t e 

 — Albinos. — The Chief Mbukuma. 



13th. — The country is becoming very beautiful, and furrow jd 

 by deep valleys; the underlying rocks, being igneous, yield a 

 fertile soil. There is abundance of large game ; the buffaloes 

 select open spots, and often eminences, as their haunts through- 

 out the day. We crossed the Mbai, and found in its bed, as well 

 as on the adjacent hills, rocks of fine marble. Violent show- 

 ers occur frequently on the hills, and cause such sudden floods 

 in the rivulets, that five of our men who had crossed some for 

 firewood were obliged to swim back. The temperature of the 

 air is considerably lowered by the daily rains, the thermo- 

 meter having been as low as 68° at sunrise, and 74° at sunset. 

 Generally, however, it stood at from 72° to 74° at sunrise, 

 90° to 96° at midday, and 80° to 84° at sunset. 



14:th. — We entered a most beautiful valley, abounding in 

 large game. I went to secure a buffalo which I saw lying 

 down. Three balls failed to kill him, and, as he turned round 

 as if for a charge, we sought the shelter of some rocks, but, 

 before gaining them, three elephants, probably attracted by 

 the strange noise, threatened to cut off our retreat: they, 

 however, turned short off, and allowed us to gain the rocks. 

 We then saw that tin buffalo was moving off quite briskly, 

 and in despair I tried a long shot at the last of the elephants, 

 and broke his foreleg. The young men soon brought him to 

 a stand, and one shot in the brain despatched him. I was 

 right glad to see the joy manifested at such an abundant 

 supply of meat. 



On the following day, while my men were cutting up the 

 elephant, great numbers of the villagers came to enjoy the 

 feast. We were on the side of a fine green valley, studded 

 here and there with trees, and furrowed with numerous 

 rivulets. Having retired from the noise to take an obser- 

 vation, I beheld an elephant and her calf at the end of :he 

 vallev. about two miles distant. The calf was rolling in the 



