COW ELEPHANT WITH CALF 
269 
is remarkable how quickly the ground becomes hollowed out 
if a number of cattle are kraaled continually in a confined 
space. Still, the condition of cattle kraaled in a hole 20 feet 
deep with a rainfall of between 70 and 80 inches per annum 
must have been somewhat terrible. Beyond these holes 
and the bits of pots I have never been able to find any other 
trace of these people except the single cairn above the Nyando 
Valley. 
COW ELEPHANT WITH CALF 
By C. M. Dobbs 
In March 1909 I was out elephant-shooting in Kisii District, 
and came one afternoon on a large herd of elephants in some 
very thick jungle. I succeeded in picking out a bull and 
shooting him. He fell down, and the rest of the herd stampeded 
down the hill. On going up to inspect I noticed that in falling 
he had bent over a large quantity of the tall elephant grass 
and bush that grew so thickly about, and inside this there was 
a curious noise going on, as if some small animal was imprisoned 
and trying to get out. A sudden exclamation from my gun- 
bearer caused me to look up, and I saw a single cow elephant 
tearing up the hill straight towards me from the retreating 
herd. I got away as quickly as I could and hid behind a 
patch of grass at some distance from where I could see what 
was happening without being seen. When the cow reached 
the carcase of the dead bull she started pulling away the grass 
and bush that had been bent down, and in a few seconds out 
rushed a small elephant calf, when mother and child quietly 
trotted off down the hill together after the rest of the herd. 
Apparently the bull in falling had pulled the grass over the 
small calf and thus prevented it from following the cow. 
