CH. XV] NATURALISTS' DIFFICULTIES 443 



the shenzi by the carcass, he went off to see about the 

 wounded cow, but after an hoiu' was forced to give up 

 the chase and return, so as to be sure to save the bull's 

 skin. The gun-bearers and another shenzi had by this 

 time reached the dead eland ; they had only Kennit's 

 canteen of water among them. One of the shenzis was 

 at once sent to camp to bring back twenty porters, with 

 rope, and plenty of water ; and, with parched mouths, 

 Kermit and the gun-bearers began to take off the tliick 

 liide of the dead bull. Four hours later the porters 

 appeared with the ropes and tlie water, and tlie thirsty 

 men drank gallons ; the porters were loaded with the 

 hide, head, and meat ; and they marched back to camp 

 by moonlight. 



It was no easy job, in that climate, to care for and 

 save the three big skins ; but we did it. On the trip 

 we had taken, besides our gun-bearers and tent-boys, 

 Magi, the sais, and two of our East African skinners, 

 Kiboko and Merefu ; tliey formed in the safari a kind of 

 chief-petty-officer's mess, so to speak. They were all 

 devoted to their duties, and they worked equally liard 

 whether hunting or caring for the skins ; the day Kermit 

 killed his bull he and the gun-bearers and skinners, with 

 Magi as a \oluntecr, worked until midnight at the hide. 

 But they had any amount of meat, and we shared our 

 sugar and tea witli them. On the last evening there 

 was nothing to do, and they sat in tlie brilliant moon- 

 liglit in front of their tents, while Kassitura played his 

 odd little harp. Kermit and I strolled over to listen ; 

 and at once Kassitura began to improvise a chant in 

 my honour, reciting how the Bwana ^lakuba had come, 

 liow he was far from his own country, how he had just 

 killed a giant eland, and so on and so on. Meanwhile, 

 over many little fires strips of meat were drying on 



