90 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
gone hungry and cold to bed ; for they are perfect duffers at 
it when everything is wet, and will waste a box of matches 
pottering with a few wet sticks and never getting a light at all. 
Of my stay in this district at that time, while I waited for 
the return of my food caravan, there is nothing else of particular 
interest to record, unless it be the measurements of a very fine 
stallion zebra of the larger species (grevyi), which I took very 
carefully immediately after death, as I was much struck with 
the powerful proportions of these very handsome animals. 
These were as follows : height at withers, 4 feet 11 inches full 
(or barely an inch under 1 5 hands) ; length from forelock to 
set on of tail, 6 feet 8 J inches ; ditto to end of tail (without 
tuft), 8 feet 1 inch; girth behind shoulder, 5 feet 9^- inches. 
It seems a pity such strong and useful-looking beasts should 
not be made use of in a country where there is such a difficulty 
about transport, and where all our domestic animals, including 
even the humble ass, are so subject to disease. It is curious 
that, although in their proportions, action, and the shape of 
their hoofs, these zebras are far more horselike than Burchett's, 
their ears are much larger, while the cry resembles that of the 
ass very much more. 
As my men did not return when I expected them, I 
determined to waste no more time, but push on without them. 
Accordingly I built a hut in which to store what food I could 
not carry, and leaving two men in charge (whom I knew the 
Ndorobos would not molest), I started with ten for Mount Nyiro. 
It became visible the first day, far to the north by west. On 
the second day we left the bush veldt behind and entered quite 
open country, not, however, grassy, but covered with thorny 
and other plants, very verdant-looking and rather pleasant, the 
air being fragrant with the scent of flowers and aromatic herbs. 1 
Water, though, is scarce, and the going rather bad, the ground 
being stony, with much white quartz. Where water was not 
1 I discovered a herb here, with a flavour resembling mint, which I found to be 
excellent for culinary purposes. 
