A Chase in the Desert. 103 



side. When I was least expecting it the babblers flew 

 out suddenly and silently, and were hidden in a 

 neighbouring bush before I could get a view of them. 

 By employing dodging tactics somewhat like hunting a< 

 person round a table I managed to secure two or three 

 specimens. 



The chase ended, I began to realise that six or eight 

 miles of desert divided me from the river; that I had 

 no water bottle and was parched with thirst. The east 

 grew dark, and turning round, I saw the sun quickly 

 dipping below the horizon. I hurried to the river but 

 had not gone a mile before the sun sank, and the light 

 rapidly drawing itself together, plunged down after it, 

 the landmarks disappeared, and I was left without a 

 guide. I trudged on and luckily keeping my direction 

 fairly well, at length reached the trees. After a long 

 search I found the camp, but was then nearly speechless 

 with thickened tongue and parched-up throat. Such a 

 condition was uncomfortable enough, and gave one a 

 slight idea of the agonies suffered by those who die of 

 thirst in the fiery heat of the desert. 



The chief object of this walk in the desert was to 

 search for a rare and beautiful goatsucker.§ Only four 



§ Caprimtdgus eximius Temm. 



