74 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
be quite on the safe side) three more, which, with my two, 
would make fifteen altogether. I never saw so many before 
at once. 
We got back to camp in good time, but it took us till 
long after dark before the skins were cleaned and pegged out. 
On the way back I saw an enormous herd of zebras, numbering 
several hundred at least. No wonder there are so many lions 
here with such a wealth of prey. We saw no more fresh 
elephant spoor. 
The next morning I made an early start again to search 
for it in other directions, as it was necessary to wait another 
day here for my lion skins to dry. We first followed our 
stream down a good way, some on each side, and then struck 
across towards some hills to the westward. We crossed two 
more streams on the way, near one of which we passed close 
to a rhino cow and calf lying asleep ; and I stood and had a 
good look at them and wished I had a camera, it was such a 
splendid chance for a photograph, and then went on, leaving 
them peacefully slumbering. We made a very long round but 
found no recent spoor, though during the last rains there had 
been a large troop of elephants about, as we could see by 
the mimosa bushes being broken all over the place in one 
part we passed through. On our return by another course 
we found we had three streams to cross instead of two ; the 
extra one a very strong torrent, running above ground only in 
places and then disappearing again. These brooks all come 
from the neighbourhood of Kenia, but many do not reach the 
Gwaso Nyiro with any surface water in their beds except 
during the rains. On the way back, seeing another rhino 
cow with a three parts grown calf lying under a tree, and 
noticing that she had a rather nice horn, I thought I might as 
well shoot her, as the meat would be welcome to my men ; so 
I went up to her, and when she stood up shot her in the chest, 
and she dropped after a short run. As usual when there are 
two in company, the young rhino would not run away at first, 
