I50 ACROSS LA IK IP I A 



The day's march had been very fatiguing, though it had 

 only taken us about four miles onward. We hoped on the 

 morrow to make up for this slow progress, for we were 

 apparently on the western edge of a level plain, on which were 

 occasional lines and patches of forest. We were again doomed 

 to disappointment. A series of hidden ravines cut across the 

 plain, and each of these had to be crossed. The largest, 

 Longeyu lol Mwaru, was 350 feet deep, and its steep 

 banks were so densely clad with vegetation that some path- 

 cutting was required, and finally we had to camp on some 

 open grass lands only five miles from our previous resting- 

 place. There was nothing with which to make a " boma," but 

 as there were no signs of inhabitants we did not trouble about 

 this, and simply picketed the donkeys to stakes beside my 

 tent door. The night was cloudless and moonless, and soon 

 became intensely cold. The highest shade temperature observed 

 during the day was 82", but by eight o'clock the thermometer 

 had fallen to 39° F., and the men crept into their tents or 

 crouched beside the fires. When I went round camp at 

 midnight, I noticed that the donkeys seemed restive and on the 

 alert. A few minutes later one of them kicked against the 

 tent ropes, so I went out to try to calm them. I stroked them 

 and chatted to them for a minute or two, and as they seemed 

 quieter, I told the sentry to look after them, and resumed my 

 seat in the tent. Before I had finished arranging my blanket, 

 the donkeys, with a wild snort, burst their bonds and fled, 

 while a cry of " Mashimba " (Lions) rang through the camp. 

 In spite of our circle of fires, two lions had rushed the donkeys. 

 The camp was in an uproar in an instant. " If there are 

 many, they will charge us," shouted Omari, and the men took 

 up their stations, with guns ready, as if we had expected Masai. 

 The lions, however, followed the donkeys ; we heard a struggle 

 a few yards away, and so, seizing brands from the fires, went 

 to the rescue. We were just in time to see a lion sneak off 

 from the body of a donkey it had killed, and send a shot after 

 it. At the same moment we heard renewed excitement from 

 the camp, with Omari's voice shouting orders to the men. 

 We ran back, and found that one of the donkeys had escaped 

 and returned to camp. It was trembling in every limb ; we 

 hobbled it securely and placed it in my tent for protection, 



