286 
A COLONY IN THE MAKING 
CHAP. 
out actually, in person, securing a specimen, and 
where he failed it is natural that failure was general. 
The existence of the species was established by skins 
and horns brought in by native hunters (Wanderobo), 
but no European secured a specimen until that fine 
hunter, Mr. Stigand, killed a young bull, and since 
then not half-a-dozen Europeans have obtained one. 
Nor can any hunter yet claim a trophy through his 
own unaided efforts. Of those who have studied the 
habits of the bongo, Lord Delamere and Mr. Berkeley 
Cole, whose estates adjoin a portion of the Mau forest, 
have the best first-hand information. During the bulk 
of the year the bongo lies hid in the huge patches 
of bamboo that occur above a certain elevation. 
When, however, the rainy season occurs, and the 
forest is also more quiet, they descend lower down the 
spurs. At such times they will feed up to 9 a.m. right 
down to the verge of the forest, retiring after that 
hour to the most impenetrable jungle they can find, in 
which they lie perfectly safe during the heat of the 
day. They must, therefore, in all probability, be shot 
quite early if they are to be obtained. The only 
successful method so far has been to get on fresh 
tracks at daybreak and to follow them up in the hope 
of coming on the animal before he returns to rest. In 
the soft earth in the forest the track is easy to follow ; 
but the best white hunter in the world would be forced 
to acquire the services of a native guide, since to 
retrace one’s steps and to emerge from the dense 
thicket is a matter of extreme difficulty and accurate 
knowledge ; so difficult indeed that the Wandorobo, 
who have an almost uncanny prescience of direction, 
admit that they each know but a very small segment of 
forest. 
