not be encountered, and travel in this country would
thereby be much facilitated. I have heard it stated,
that in South Africa zebras have been tamed sufficiently
to be harnessed to a coach. If such is the
case, I see no reasons why, with proper methods and
patience, they could not be broken to become excellent
pack animals. I hope the British government,
which appears to have at length decided to open up
East Africa, will, ere it is too late, and sportsmen have
exterminated the zebra, give this matter the attention
which it deserves; for I feel convinced that intelligent
efforts made with this end in view will be amply repaid.
In my opinion, the sum of $5000 would be sufficient
for such an experiment. The zebras could be
captured, either by building stockades near their drink-
ing-places, into which they could be driven and secured;
or, perhaps still better, by horsemen provided with
lassos. The zebras in this part of the world are so
tame, that I think there would be little difficulty experienced
in their capture.
Near Mount Chabba, I saw for the first time what I
might correctly term a herd of rhinoceroses. I counted
six feeding close together. Usually these animals are
met with singly, or at most in pairs; and when two
are found together, they are usually a mother and
offspring.
A t this camp I examined the rifles carried by my men,
and found them in a very unsatisfactory condition. I
served out a bit of rag and some melted zebra fat to
each man, and informed the men that in three hours I
would inspect the rifles, and I expected then to find them
thoroughly cleaned. The result gives a fair idea of one
phase of the character of the Zanzibari — carelessness.
My Soudanese and Somali set to work, and soon had
their weapons in very good condition. But at least
half of the porters ate the melted fat given them, and
threw away the rags, yet were much surprised and
pained upon learning my displeasure.
On leaving Chabba the next day, we ascended a small
ridge, from which we got a beautiful view of the contour
of the northern side of Mount Kenya. Viewed from the
north, this mountain presents the appearance of a vast
pyramid, whose sides slope gradually to the plain. On
the eastern slope, near the apex, the regularity of outline
is interrupted by a rounded, knob-like projection. The
snow-capped peak gleams white against the blue sky.
Extending to a distance of twenty miles from the base
on the northern side, there runs a range of hills which
form a narrow ridge. This ridge gradually slopes away
until it ends in the plain near the Guaso Nyiro. From
its supposed resemblance to a queue, in which fashion
the Masai warriors wear their hair, these people have
called the range Donyo Loldeikan (Queue Mountains).
Motio assured us that between Mount Chabba and
the country of the Wamsara we should find a river,
which, having its source in the Jombeni range, flowed
into the Guaso Nyiro. He told us we should reach
this river early in the afternoon; so we carried no
water on this march.
In the neighbourhood of Chabba the formation of
the soil was gneiss, but a few miles beyond, our way
was once more over lava-strewn plains. We marched
steadily from seven o’clock in the morning until after
sunset, but found no water. I then pitched camp, and