With Flashlight and Rifle ^ 



initiative of the IVInce. In such moments one gets to 

 know iincl appreciate one's comrades belter tlian one might 

 in years cjf companionship at home. 



We gave up all hope' ol coming again upon the lions 

 we had observed. When we sighttxl them they had just 

 been tearing a hen-ostrich to pieces (as I found the day 

 after), but they did not return to its carcase. 



My ornithological collection had been ajjpreciably 

 expanding, and now included a consideraljle numl^er of 

 prepared skins and eggs. Slowly following the course 

 of the stream, we gratlually drew closer to Kilimanjaro. 



Now, towards the end of March, the approaching 

 rainy season the " Masika mkubwa "-— o'ave sio^ns of 

 its coming. We came in tor a tremendous storm one 

 night, which deluged our camp in a few minutes and 

 filled our tent with water, The thunder crashed above 

 us, the atmosphere; was charged with electricitw No 

 one who has not cx'ix'rienced a tropical storm in the 

 desert can form any impression ol this marxcllous 

 phenomenon. 



A series of h)rc(;d marches over the now sodden marsh- 

 land brought us to the Kahe district, a small oasis 

 of cultivation in the midst ol the v(,'lt at the; lc:)Ot of 

 i\ ilimanjaro. 



M\- old fri(;nd of former y(;ars, the chic;!, had been 

 murdered. His successor did not seem to me to ha\e 

 much authoritw 



On arrixing at the station of Moshi on ivilimanjaro, 

 we found that \w\ Iricnd Captain Mcrker, who received 

 us most corelially, was just on the point ol going back to 



78 



