CHAP EER Vilt. 
I sEND TO BERBERA FOR CLOTH AND LETTERS—A_ RAIDING PARTY OF 
OGADEN SOMALIS— WE CROSS THE RIVER— A CROCODILE GIVES US 
A CHitL— A PLEASANT SURPRISE — CHRISTMAS WITH PRINCE Boris 
— CHARGED BY AN Oryx —I AM FORTUNATE IN BEING ABLE TO 
puy Rice — Lions aBour—NeEw YEaAR’s Day NotTes— LIONS AND 
Hvenas — A Hot Desert — AFRICAN CHILDHOOD — REPORTS OF 
SMALL-POX. 
N our march the next day to Finik we disturbed a 
rhinoceros which was asleep on the top of a very 
steep and stony hill. He rushed down the rocky, precipi- 
tous declivity as though he were a goat. It is a great fal- 
lacy to look upon rhinoceroses as sluggish animals, which 
can travel only in flat countries. They run about easily 
over the roughest sort of hills, seeming to prefer to cross 
over a mountain rather than to go around it. 
We were to see no more natives now until we got into 
Somaliland, as they are afraid to live within twenty-five 
miles of the river, owing to the frequent raids of the Oga- 
den Somalis. Camping on December 8 on a large tug 
which contained pools of water at short intervals, and which 
was only one march distant from the Webi Shebeli, I 
sent Haji Idris and some of my men to the river to 
see if the water was high; but as they reported the She- 
beli flooded, I determined to remain here for some days 
until the water subsided, and to give the camels a rest. 
There were plenty of oryx, zebras, and rhinoceroses about, 
and it was easy to supply the camp with food. I was 
