134 
ON SAFAKI 
The rolling treeless veld that extends northward from 
Elmenteita, with its game, has already been described 
(p. 122 et seq.). Bnt there was, in February, no such 
abounding aggregation of wild-life as we had met with 
here in July, August and September. That circumstance, 
however, was merely due to the seasonal migrations of 
the animals, and had no relation to changing ownership. 
The zebra, for example, leave this region early in 
December, not reappearing till May or June; while of 
the other animals that were so abundant in July and 
August, perhaps a tenth, or less, remained in February. 
Not that there was any real lack of animal-life even now. 
The veld, though no longer crowded, was fairly peopled 
with beautiful creatures. There were no zebras, but a 
few hartebeests and ostriches still lingered; groups of 
granti moved about with stately gait, and herds of 
“Tommies” chased and gambolled in their sportive 
style. Wart-hogs, owing to their subterranean habit, are 
probably less mobile, and our first day here (February 
8), being dull and drizzling, we saw great numbers, 
including some real monsters. One solitary boar, in 
particular, our hunters at first mistook for a rhino, 
and we decided to spend the next day in acquiring 
his mask. That morning, however, broke bright and 
hot, and never a pig could we see ! They were then 
all underground. 
I shot that day a superb granti , a solitary buck, with 
25-in. horns ; but merely mention the fact to illustrate 
a phase that is worth note in this African shooting. 
Though severely wounded by the first shot, the buck 
held on, on—till it was clear we should never overtake 
him ; never, at least, by following “ hot-foot.” I there¬ 
fore recalled my men, much to their disgust, and lay 
down to watch. The buck then, being alone, also laid 
down, a mile ahead, and, growing stiller, at the end of 
an hour I w T as able to approach again within 200 yards, 
when a second bullet (in ribs) further crippled him : but 
we still had to put in a second thirty minutes, lying 
patiently in that sweltering heat, ere he would allow 
