GAME AND DISEASE 
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alarmed to find that there were no living buffalo, where only 
a month or so previously there were numbers. However, I was 
reassured by the Wandorobo, who informed me that should 
an outbreak occur, it is the invariable custom of the buffalo 
to move at once. They dive deeper and deeper into the 
forest, away from the other buffalo, who in an ordinary way 
haunt the edges and open glades of the forest. 
This habit may have helped the forest-buffalo to escape 
the fate of his brothers in the open. 
When I first visited the Athi Plains, sixteen years ago, the 
remnants of the buffalo and wildebeeste heads could still be 
seen, only the boss of the horns and part of the skull remaining. 
They lay mostly along the river banks ; for, as usual, a sick 
beast goes near the water to die. 
At this time there were not more than forty buffalo on 
Eldonyo Sabuk, and rather less in the Kamiti swamp ; now, 
in spite of shooting them, there must be nearer 400 in the 
former and 200 in the latter haunt, although many have 
been shot there. 
For many years there seemed to be little or no increase 
in the eland and buffalo ; but suddenly the change came, 
and the increase was rapid. It always happens in nature 
that, should any species get really low in numbers — as in South 
Africa and in America — then the strictest preservation will 
only, at the best, enable the animal to increase slowly until 
it reaches a certain stage. After that, better results may be 
expected. I only wish I could give as good a report on the 
greater kudu as on eland and buffalo ; but the kudu seems 
still in the preliminary stage of recovery. They have increased 
somewhat, but very slowly, so that one almost despairs. They 
undoubtedly have more enemies than buffalo or eland, the 
hunting-dog being one of the worst. The kudu, however, is 
in comparison with a horse a wonderful performer amongst the 
rocky foot-hills, which he usually inhabits, but is really easily 
pulled down by such a remarkable tracker as the hunting-dog. 
The recovery of the eland from the rinderpest is wonderful. 
Sixteen — and even ten — years ago, eland were extraordinarily 
scarce. To-day there are hundreds on the Athi ; and from the 
Rift Valley and the Uasin Gishu Plateau so many complaints 
