XI 
FROM EL BOGOI TO LAKE RUDOLPH 
2 37 
driven the herd away. Still, the meat was acceptable and I 
did not upbraid him. It transpired long afterwards, though, 
that he had used a number of cartridges. My fears about the 
elephants leaving the neighbourhood were also verified, as will 
presently appear. He knew that I never allowed him to use 
his rifle, which he carried merely as a weapon of defence; but 
I expect he was tempted to try his hand by coming upon the 
elephants in open forest, where it would be easy to get near 
and obtain a clear shot from the safe cover of the trees. Juma 
brought no news of any use. He was out till sundown and 
saw the spoor of three travellers only, going south. 
The day had been cloudy and showery and the night was 
cold and wet, and it still rained in the morning when I started 
out again myself with Juma and one Ndorobo, Squareface with 
one or two more of my men going to fetch the teeth of his 
elephant and some meat, while Baithai was off to summon his 
family to the feast. We took a long round, crossing the deep 
valley of the main stream draining this part of the range (from 
the crest on the opposite side of which I got a fine view over 
the open country beyond for a long distance), and then descend¬ 
ing to where the valleys join the level country and begin to 
open out into green, grassy savannahs. I determined to come 
and camp in this pleasant borderland between the forest and 
the open plains ; and 1 hoped still to find elephants somewhere, 
though it was clear the herd Squareface had disturbed had 
shifted its quarters, since the only fresh tracks we could find 
were those made in its retreat. Still there was plenty of 
recent spoor everywhere, and anyway it would be interesting to 
see something of the country on this side of the range and find 
out what game it contained. 
So the next day we moved down, camping in a little glade 
close to the edge of the open country, on the banks of a strong 
stream. The descent on this side of the mountains, though 
sufficiently difficult with loads, is nothing like so steep as their 
eastern face, and the plains here must be much higher than the 
i 
