LEPHANTS ARRIVE AT HALF-PAST FIVE

Doing Africa with Ilka Chase and her doctor husband, Norman Brown, involves a variety of activities. First there's the pre-Africa rush; getting a tape-recorder, out-fitting at Abercrombie's, a last-minute passport. Then we are on to Nairobi and various sorties on safari to see the wild animals in the great preserves, with a memorable night at Treetops. Personages looked up and encountered range from Gladys the rhino, a friend solicitously asked for by Jack Hilton, on to Dr. Leakey at his digs, the Adamsons of Elsa fame at Serengeti (then still searching for her cubs), an interview with Tom Mboya and hearing Nasser in Cairo. Other activities engaged in with various degrees of relish; fishing at Lake Rudolf, eating durian at Zanzibar (don't), haggling in Addis Ababa. Travel tips are on the simple side; take matches, hangers, binoculars (""the best you can afford"") and ""Women! If going on safari, be sure to take scarves to wrap you read in"". Ilka gives a good deal of attention to the animals, as much to equipage and entourage. For those who enjoyed The Carthaginian Rose (see p.871, 1961) another author-oriented itinerary.