TO THE UASIN GISHU 
321 
bull in the bottom. The steep sides of the hollow were 
covered with a tangled growth of thorn scrub and cactus, 
traversed by rhinoceros paths. The bottom was more 
open, strewn with bushy mounds or hillocks, and on one of 
these stood a noble koodoo bull. He stood with his mas¬ 
sive spiral horns thrown back, and they shifted slowly as 
he turned his head from side to side. Kermit stole down 
one of the rhino paths, save for which the scrub would 
have been practically impenetrable; it was alive with 
rhinos; Kermit heard several, and Juma who followed 
some distance behind saw three. The stalk took time; 
and the sun was on the horizon and the light fading when, 
at over two hundred yards, Kermit took his shot. The 
first bullet missed, but as for a moment the bull paused 
and wheeled Kermit fired again and the second bullet went 
home. The wounded beast ran, Kermit, with Juma, hard 
on the trail; and he overtook and killed it just as darkness 
fell. Then back to camp they stumbled and plunged 
through the darkness, Kermit tearing the sole completely 
off one shoe. They reached camp at ten and Juma, who 
had only been working half the day, took out some por¬ 
ters to the dead bull, which they skinned, and then slept 
by until morning. Later, on his birthday, he killed a 
cow, which completed the group; the two koodoo cost 
him ten days’ steady labor. The koodoo were always found 
on steep, rocky hills; their stomachs contained only grass, 
for both beasts when shot were grazing (I do not know 
whether or not they also browse). The midday hours, 
when the heat was most intense, they usually spent resting; 
but once Kermit came on two which were drinking in a 
stream exactly at noon. 
