African Game Trails 
525 
in forethought they are of the grasshopper 
type; and all but a few exhausted their sup¬ 
ply by mid-afternoon. At this time we were 
among bold mountain ridges, and here we 
struck the kraal of some Masai, who wa¬ 
tered their cattle at some spring pools, 
three miles to one side, up a valley. It was 
too far for the heavily laden porters; but 
we cantered our horses thither and let them 
into what looked like rivers; the thick 
grass grew waist high. It looked like a 
well-watered country; but it was of porous, 
volcanic nature, and the soil was a sieve. 
After nightfall we came to where we hoped 
to find water; but there was not a drop in 
the dried pools; and we had to make a 
waterless camp. A drizzling rain had set in, 
enough to wet everything, but not enough 
Mr. Roosevelt’s hippo charging open-mouthed.—Page 531. 
From a photograph by Kermit Roosevelt. 
drink their fill; and then cantered along 
the trail left by the safari until we overtook 
the rear men just as they were going over 
the brink of the Mau escarpment. The 
scenery was wild and beautiful; in the 
open places the ground was starred with 
flowers of many colors; we rode under vine- 
tangled archways through forests of strange 
trees. 
Down the steep mountain side went the 
safari, and at its foot struck off nearly par¬ 
allel to the high ridge. On our left the tree- 
clad mountain side hung above us; ravines, 
with mimosas clustering in them, sundered 
the foot-hills, and wound until they joined 
to give any water for drinking. It was 
eight o’clock before the last of the weary, 
thirsty burden-carriers stumbled through 
the black, bowlder-strewn ravine on whose 
farther side we were camped, and threw 
down his load among his fellows, who were 
already clustered around the little fires they 
had started in the tall grass. We slept as 
we were, and comfortably enough; indeed, 
there was no hardship for us white men, 
with our heavy overcoats, and our food and 
water—which we shared with our personal 
attendants; but I was uneasy for the por¬ 
ters, as there was another long and exhaust¬ 
ing day’s march ahead. Before sunrise we 
