CHAP. II THE SHORT RAINS BEGIN 27 



through which the river flowed a couple of generations ago, and 

 camped upon the plain beside a water-hole in this channel. 

 A lion came roaring round the camp at night, but it was too 

 dark to hope for a shot ; and knowing that roaring lions do not 

 fight, it did not disturb my rest. A more serious annoyance 

 was the loss of a young wild cat or Serval, which I had 

 purchased in Witu and was trying to tame. It was a most 

 ferocious little brute, only twice the size of a kitten of the same 

 age, but with temper enough for fifty. It bit and scratched like 

 a fury. This did not hurt me, for my leggings were thick ; but 

 the men's legs were bare, and they did not like the animal. 

 They declared it would grow into a tiger, and begged me to 

 kill it. As I would not do so, I believe they let it escape on 

 purpose. 



At daybreak next morning we resumed our march across 

 the plain. There was a good deal of game, but we could not 

 stop to shoot. I almost tumbled on to three black buffalo, 

 which fled before I could snatch a rifle from the men. I gave 

 chase at their request, but fortunately did not come up with 

 the animals. Life is too good to be thrown away by shooting 

 at buffalo with a Snider. During the heat of midday we 

 rested for a couple of hours by some Borassus or Palmyra 

 palms {Borassus flabelliformis). Our rest was cut short by a 

 threatening storm, which caught us on the march ; the rain 

 was heavier than I had ever experienced, and fell on us like a 

 waterspout. To face it was impossible, so we crouched behind 

 the camels to get what little shelter these gave. When the rain 

 was at its worst we could not see five yards along the line. 

 The storm travelled from north to south, down the valley, 

 extending for about two miles in width, and turning the whole 

 of the belt it traversed into a swamp. The men said the 

 camels could not go through it and we must camp where we 

 were. However, we were due at Ngatana that night, so I could 

 not consent to this delay, and we pushed ahead through the 

 swamp and slush. 



As we approached the Tana the grass became higher and 

 denser, and we had hard work in forcing a way through it. 

 At length we reached the banks of the river and struck a native 

 track, which we followed through the woods until we emerged 

 into a clearing opposite the village of Vuju. It was dark when 



