THE VOI IN FLOOD 69 



puff-adder of the same species {ClotJio arietans, Merr.) as that 

 met with at the Cape, but which here attains a much larger 

 size. Next day I added to my collection a Zanzibari, who had 

 deserted from some previous expedition. I caught him quite 

 by accident. He was watching the caravan from a hiding- 

 place in some bushes about a quarter of a mile from our path. 

 I came up behind him after a branch excursion to some rocks. 

 1 took him prisoner, and placed him in charge of my boy 

 Philip and an Askari, to whom I promised the reward paid for 

 a captured deserter when the man was handed over to the 

 Company's officials at Tzavo. Later on, however, he succeeded 

 in making his escape. 



During this day's march we had to ford the Voi, which, as 

 it was in full flood, was rather exhausting to the porters. The 

 river is but a small one, but it flows through a swamp so 

 choked by vegetation as to be impenetrable, except along the 

 courses of the various branches of the stream. We worked our 

 way along the channels, on both sides of which rushes, papyrus, 

 and sedges rose as a wall ten feet in height. In places the 

 plants met overhead, and then we had to creep along the 

 tunnel thus formed, cutting away the lower stems so as to raise 

 the roof and allow the porters to carry the loads through. In 

 some places the floods had piled a barricade of vegetation 

 across the channel, and this we had to clear away. As most 

 of this time we were standing up to our shoulders in rapidly 

 flowing water, we were very glad when we reached the northern 

 margin of the swamp. 



The men wanted to camp here, and as it was almost one 

 o'clock I was quite prepared to do so. But Omari said it was 

 unnecessary, and suggested that we should rest here for a mid- 

 day meal and then go to a camping-place three hours farther 

 on, at the foot of the mountain of Ndi. I thought this unwise ; 

 but, wishing to hasten, and not to check, the pace of the 

 caravan, I did not like to discourage any excess of energy on the 

 part of my headman. I was hesitating as to the decision when 

 two of the porters insolently refused to go any farther, and 

 began to " cheek " Omari. That settled it at once. Orders 

 were given to the men to be ready to start for Ndi in an hour 

 and a half's time. The decision proved to be a mistake. The 

 passage of the Voi had been so fatiguing that an extra march 



