A Sounder of Wart-hog.
A Herd of Gerenúk.
CHAPTER VIII
FIRST JOURNEY TO THE WEBBE SHABÉLEH RIVER (continued)
Our camp at Enleh—Success of the Lee-Metford rifle—An oryx hunt—Abundance of game—A night alarm—Attempt to catch a zebra foal—Strange voices in the bush—News of the Rer Amáden—Jáma Deria—Advance into the Amáden country—Meeting with Sheikh Abdul Káder at Dambaswerer—Friendly reception by the Rer Amáden—Decide to make a dash for Imé—Fine view of the Webbe Valley—Difficulty and expense of a Somáli outfit—Close to Imé; doubtful as to our welcome—Cordiality of the Adone or Webbe negroes—Council of the elders; desire for an English treaty—Kind hospitality of Gabba Oboho, chief of Imé—A word for British management at the coast—Invited to return to the Webbe—Shoot two waterbuck—Return to Dambaswerer—Jáma Deria at home—Gálla raids—Extraordinary vitality of a Somáli—Jáma Deria’s avarice—Reputation of Rás Makunan—Oryx shot—A lion roars at night—Lion surprised stealing the carcase—Exciting hunt, and death of the lion—Sit up for lion at Durhi—Melancholy episode; Daura Warsama killed by a man-eater—Unsuccessful hunt—Clarke’s gazelle bagged—Oryx bull bagged—Artificial tanks—Form a camp for koodoo-hunting at Mandeira.
At Enleh our camp was pitched on some rising ground, devoid of bushes, but well covered with young grass, last year’s old grass having been burnt off. All around, except close to camp, was thorn forest from twenty to forty feet in height. Extensive jungle fires had occurred here during the dry season, and patches of young grass were springing up for two or three miles on every side. This is always the best condition of any locality for attracting game, particularly when the country is uninhabited.