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Show 340 MB. G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT'S B E C E N T [May 7, be thus seen that there are two sources of supply about the Albert Edward Nyanza, namely the Wanyuema country and that about the east side of Ruwenzori. An organized transport to tbe Victoria Nyanza and by boat across the lake would enable the Government to obtain the ivory from both these districts. It may perhaps interest you to hear what is the present distribution of Elephants in East Central Africa. I first came across their traces in the M a u Forest, where they seemed to ascend to at least 6000 feet. I understand they still exist within two days' journey of Kikuyu to the North-west, and probably from there to Kenia and by Elgon and the Somerset Nile to the Albert Nyanza and Unyoro generally. There are probably considerable numbers in Sotik to the east of m y route. They seem to be absent from Buddu and Uganda proper, though in Chagwe, four days from Kampala, some are said to exist. They are probably quite extinct in Ankole, Karagwe, and Mpororo, though there are a few east of Albert Edward Nyanza. There are, however, plenty in Kivari and on the east of Ruwenzori. There are none along the eastern shore of Tanganyika, and I very much doubt if any are left in the whole of the German sphere of influence, except perhaps about Kilima-njaro. There are still some herds about the Lake Moero and the western border of British Central Africa, but I fancy they will very soon be exterminated in the Elephant Marsh and Milanje districts. Hence when the accumulated stores of generations of native chiefs have been exhausted, the supply will enormously diminish. The Hippopotamus (H. amphibius) seems to be rare on the Albert Edward, though it undoubtedly does exist about Kuliafiris. I have also seen the skull of one a long way up the Mubuku valley, where it may have been carried. On the Kagera River their abundance is almost incredible. I. do not think I have ever seen 200 yards of the river without hearing or seeing one. The natives call this animal ' ufufu,' which exactly represents its sound. The river flows through strips of papyrus, and the alluvial banks, which are usually 30 feet higher than the level of the river, seem to support plenty of a kind of Andropogon grass, of which they are very fond. The Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros bicornis) is more abundant about the marshy lakes of Karagwe than on any other part of m y journey. O n one day I came across them five times, but, unfortunately, failed to get one. The Antelopes about Ruwenzori are not very numerous. There are first the ubiquitous Hartebeest (Bubalis jacksoni'?), two species of Kobus, and at least two Gazelles, one of which appeared to be very like Gazella thomsoni of the Masai plains. These Antelopes occur on the wide grassy alluvial plains and low hills under 5000 feet along the eastern side: they are, I think, very rare on the west. They seem to shift their position constantly, owing to the condition of the grass. In April I found quantities of all sorts near |