62 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
— thus obtaining without trouble a fresh supply of good 
meat With the exception of rhinoceros, of which there is a 
good sprinkling, there is hardly any game (besides elephants) 
in all the neighbourhood. 
During the next fortnight I hunted perseveringly from this 
camp without any success. Though I toiled hard almost every 
day, frequently from daylight to dark—having my breakfast 
before it was light and my dinner often late in the evening, 
with nothing between but a bit of biscuit and a drink of water 
or perhaps a banana—only once did I sight elephants, and in 
that case I bungled abominably a chance at two bulls, both 
getting away wounded, I regret to say. I followed the spoor 
almost daily, but owing to the densely matted nature of the 
tall dark jungle in which the elephants here live, except during 
their nocturnal rambles, it is next to impossible, unless by a 
stroke of exceptional luck, to get a shot at them. The labour 
is most arduous. There are no open paths in this jungle ; the 
growth is so elastic that the passage of elephants leaves scarcely 
any opening, and one has to struggle, stoop, and crawl con¬ 
tinually to get through at all. The work is very exhausting ; 
and, to add to the drain on one’s strength, poisonous caterpillar 
hairs and an irritating dust from the vegetation, through which 
one has to be always forcing one’s way, cause a most annoying 
eruption on the body, the itching of which is a constant worry 
by day and prevents the refreshing sleep at night needed to 
recruit the strength daily expended. A caterpillar down one’s 
neck, for instance, causes intense itching, tingling, smarting, 
perhaps for days. All such discomforts would, however, be 
lightly regarded by the elephant-hunter if he were rewarded by 
success in the pursuit of his quarry. But such is the density of 
this Kenia jungle that though you may get within a few yards 
of your elephants it is impossible to see them, and they either 
scent or hear you ; and all the satisfaction you get, after hours 
of hard work, is to hear them crashing off. So tall, too, is this 
cover and so leafy, that even from a tree (where there are any) 
