Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 253, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1910 — SPORT IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SPORT IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA

WE STARTED from Nairobi, and about a week after leaving the railway we reached the Qnaso Nyoro. As we got near the river we saw large herds of zebra, hartebeest and Thomson's gazelle feeding on the plains, and we had a glimpse of some giraffe. So far we had shot very little, only meat for the camp. The first three days of our trek had been through a waterless tract of country. It was a hot, sandy stretch, and then a very steep pull for the oxen over the Mau hills. We had brought a considerable amount of water In the wagons, but In spite of the greatest care we found our supply was getting low, and on the third day our porters suffered a good deal. We parsed several water holes on the way, but owing to the exceptionally dry season there was no water, so we weje forced to push on and make a long march to reach the Big Rock river, which we 'did very late that night After a day’s rest we trekked on to the Gnaso Nyoro. We were now on our shooting ground. The following weeks were full of interest, and we soon added wildebeest, imrpala, ftoberts’ gazelle, rhino, topi and giraffe to our list of trophies; but so far no lion had been seen, although we bften heard them at night round the camp. Eventually we were fortunate enough to get a good number of lion. These were usually found on the open plains and sometimes as many as six together. It was useless to attempt to stalk them, and we found the best ;way was to gallop them on ponies. One day, having carefully spied our ground, we decided to go after a rhino. The wind was right, but when we were within three hundred yards of him two lions and a lioness jumped lip. “Simba, simba” (lion), whispered the excited gun-bearer, and, hurriedly changing our solid bullets for softnosed, we got on our ponies and had a most exciting few minutes. They did not go far, perhaps half a mile, before they turned and faced us, the lioness in the center; they were grunting furiously and swishing their tails. The lioness was the most aggressive, and gave us a good deal of trouble before she was killed. We also shot the two lions. It took the men some time to skin them, and having seen this done and sent the porters back to camp we rode quietly homewards. On our arrival we had quite a reception; the porters ran out to meet us, shouting and singing, and danced round the lion skins in the most absurd manner to the accompaniment of a grunting chorus. I was very anxious to get an eland, but up till now I had not seen any good heads. At last my patience was rewarded, and we saw two fine bulls feeding on the edge of the scrub a considerable distance away. By the time we got up to them they had fed on to the plain, and our only chance was to gallop them. We started as soon as the ponies came up. As we went along we disturbed great herds of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, etc., until the whole plain seemed alive with game; but the eland kept moving on, and they had Gone some distance when they separated, and I was lucky enough to get my eland. The other one, unfortunately, got back into the bush. We galloped eland again on another occasion, but this time the bulls were accompanied' by cows and calves, and did not go far before R. got his chance and killed a good bull. We found the eland meat was excellent, rather like beef, and a welcome addition to our larder. The same evening on our way back to camp we met a number of Masai, who told us that a lioness and cubs had been seen entering a donga. We did not see anything of her, but we found her lair, Which I photographed; in it were a quantity of bones and the remains of ia young giraffe. The Maaaj, had recently come on to the plains to get fresh grazing for their enormous herds of cattle, which with flocks of slmep represent their wealth. The fooq of the Masai consists of milk, meat and the blood of isheep and cattle. They never eat game, and only destroy lions on account of their stock or in self-defense. Their mtfffeod of killing a lion is by forming a ring round him and spearing him. The Malsi often came to f.\ ' ’

the camp, and took great interest in the heads and skins of the game. The men all carried spears and the warriors carried, in addition, zebra shields and bows and arrows. On trek the women are put in charge of the pack-donkeys, and they also do most of the work of building the new kraal. We saw several ostrich nests, and also young ostriches with the mother; it is not easy to distinguish the chicks when they are quite small, they so closely resemble the color of the ground. A little gray monkey was fairly common, and we once saw some baboons. The prettiest of the monkeys was the colobus, the black and white fur of which is very remarkable. They live on the top of the highest trees and are only found in certain districts. One afternoon, as we were returning to our camp in the Gnaso Nyoro, we disturbed some impala and were following them through thick scrub, when the second gun-bearer touched R. on the arm and pointed to a rhino feeding at a distance of about fifty yards on our right. It was lucky for us that we had stopped in time before he got our wind. We should have been in an awkward predicament if he had charged at" such short range. As it was, R. had the satisfaction of adding a good specimen to his collection. Rhino were very numerous, but those on the plains had very poor horns. They often caused considerable delay to our safari, as the porters were afraid of them. We were fortunate in having an excellent staff. The gun-bearers were Somalis and Swahilis; our tent-boys too were very good servants and could talk a little English. The cook, a Swahili, talked English fairly well, and introduced himself to me as a “student from Zanzibar.” I afterwards discovered that this meant that he had been taught at the mission there. His cooking was excellent considering the difficulties he had to contend with. The country we were in is not picturesque, in the ordinary sense of the word, but it has a great fascination of Its own. The brilliant color of the trees, the tropical tangle of vegetation along the river banks, and the deep blue of the distant mountains make vivid patches of color against the burnt-up veldt; but what impressed me most were the immense plains and the great stretches of uninhabited country. They more than all beside make one realize the vast solitudes of Africa.

ALICE K. MUIR.