ELMENTEITA IN SEPTEMBER 
131 
I selected, as gunbearer, a Swahili “ boy ” named Hamisi, 
whom we had noted for his keen eyesight and aptness 
in hunting. 
That afternoon (September 14) a tremendous thunder¬ 
storm broke with tropical rains. The night, also, was dis¬ 
turbed ; first jackals, then hyenas, wailed all around, 
setting the station dogs barking madly until 11 p.m., 
when a pair of lions came along and silenced the lot. 
These last came so near that I loaded the Paradox and 
went out; but it was a black-dark night, raining, and 
nothing could be seen. Lions have a great stronghold 
in the belt of strong bush that lies facing the mountain- 
range of Eburu. Two Englishmen, we were told, had 
recently tried for them, tying up a sheep and waiting in 
prepared shelters on two nights. ' On both occasions, the 
lions carried off the bait without being seen in the dark. 
Next morning we resumed our march towards Eburu, 
the safari proceeding direct, while I tried the lovely 
stretch of woodland lying along the base of the hills, 
where in July we had seen so much game. Here again, 
we found ourselves supplanted by the intrusive Masai, 
who, with their herds, had occupied the whole beautiful 
strath. Beyond, however, among the foothills, we fell 
in with hartebeest, and I secured a third Neumann bull, 
remarkable for his exceptionally massive horns, which 
measured 11|- ins. in basal circumference. 
After some manoeuvres with Chanler’s reedbucks, 
fruitless as usual, we finally reached Eburu—since 
abandoned as a station. Bad as the lions had been last 
night at Elmenteita, they were as nothing compared with 
the rats at Eburu to-night! No sooner were lights out 
than the brutes were running in droves all over me, 
gnawing bags, boots, gun-cases, everything. I relit 
the lamp, but it burnt out, and after the last match 
had been struck, they were free to eat even the boots 
that I hurled in a vain effort to keep them at bay. 
Three-thirty brought relief, for then the early train 
(running thrice a week) came along and carried us off 
to Nairobi. 
