ACROSS COUNTRY IN A CARRIAGE 315 
Kinangop; to its right rose the lone bald uplift of 
Donyo Sabuk, and to the east were the blue Lukenia 
Hills. The house-tops of Nairobi waved miragic- 
ally in the valley, with a low range of blue hills be¬ 
yond. Across the plains ran the row of telegraph 
poles that marked the course of the railway and a 
traveling column of smoke indicated the busy course 
of a railway train. This was the setting within 
which lay the broad stretches of the Athi Plains, 
billowing in waves like a grass-covered sea. 
As we drove along big herds of zebras paused in 
their grazing to regard the carriage as it merrily 
bumped across the hills. As long as we remained in 
the vehicle they showed no alarm, for they had seen 
many carriages along the neighboring roads. It 
was only when the carriage stopped that they 
showed an apprehensive interest. Great numbers 
of Coke’s hartebeest watched us with humorous 
interest. An eland grazed peacefully upon a dis¬ 
tant hill, and a wart-hog trotted away as we ap¬ 
proached. Immense numbers of Thompson’s gazelle 
skipped away merrily and then turned to regard us 
with widespread ears and alert eyes. Two Grant’s 
gazelles were seen, while far off upon a grassy hill¬ 
side were many wildebeest—the animal that we 
were seeking. It was impossible to get close 
enough to shoot effectively, and after a time we 
gave up our attempts in that direction. 
The wildebeest, although living so near Nairobi, 
are most wild, and with miles of plains stretching 
out upon all sides it is easy for them to keep several 
