CHAPTER I 



PREPARING FOR THE START 



" In the reproof of chance lies the true proof of men." 



Troihis and Cressida, i. 3. 



The voyage from Aden round the " Horn of Africa " and along 

 the eastern coast was the pleasantest part of the journey towards 

 " Lake Rudolf." The officers of the British India steamer, the 

 Malda, did everything they could to make the passage com- 

 fortable both to us and to our noisy crowd of Somali. We 

 had, moreover, the good fortune to number among our fellow- 

 passengers Mr. J. R. W. Piggott, the present Administrator of 

 British East Africa. He had himself led the way into the 

 basin of the Upper Tana, and his wide experience of the 

 country and its people was placed most generously at our 

 service ; but unfortunately most of his wise advice came too late. 

 The plan of the expedition was altered, and it was decided to 

 land at Lamu instead of at Kismayu, and ascend the Tana 

 instead of the Juba. There were many advantages in this 

 route, but some of us much objected to the change. It meant 

 that, for the first two months at least, we should be in known 

 country, instead of plunging at once into the unknown. More- 

 over, as far as we could learn, the climate was wholly urisuited 

 to camels. The expedition had been planned on the basis of 

 using these animals for transport, and if they failed us, we 

 should fail. I felt disappointed, as I have a rooted distrust of 

 change of plan at the last minute. The Tana valley is notoriously 

 unhealthy, and we missed the march across the Borana country, 

 west of the Juba. The steamer did not call at Kismayu, but 

 kept southward until, on the morning of 21st November, we 



