252 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
at length, nearly a month after my arrival, we were able to 
march once more. Abdulla was much longer in following 
than I had expected, and, when he at last arrived, it turned 
out that on reaching El Bogoi he had found that the men in 
charge there had lost the donkeys, with the result that when, 
after several days’ search, they were recovered, they had almost 
perished from thirst and one died in consequence. Then the 
two that I had brought on had to be sent back for some loads 
that had been left, and on the way one was killed, one dark wet 
night, by a lion. This one was a great favourite of mine and 
the handsomest and best I had, as is sure to be the case when 
any evil befalls one of your animals. I was particularly grieved 
about these mishaps to my cherished donkeys, which I had 
cared for almost like children. But one must take all mis¬ 
fortunes, annoyances, and delays philosophically in Africa, 
especially trying though they be when brought about by 
carelessness. 
On this visit I succeeded in getting in touch with the 
natives inhabiting the mountain, and got some of them to 
come to my camp. They call themselves the Sambur tribe 
(not Samburu, as it is generally spelt). They live entirely in 
the mountains, other communities of the same tribe inhabiting 
the not distant heights of Kulale and Marasambiti. These 
people have been able to keep their live stock in spite of raids, 
thanks to their mountain fastnesses. They live solely on the 
produce of their cattle and do not cultivate. They do not 
differ much in type from the Masai. One old man, whom I 
saw a good deal of, was a particularly handsome specimen, with 
regular features. I did not find them satisfactory people to 
deal with. They had been accustomed to Swahili traders, 
whose custom it is to give presents to any native who tells 
them pleasant news, the consequence being that they are 
constantly fooled by the false reports which they have paid for. 
I learnt that a party of Wakamba, from south of the Tana, 
had been here two or three months ago hunting elephants, and 
