444 THE GIANT ELAND [ch. xv 



scaffolds of bent branches, and askaris and porters 

 were gathered in groups, chatting and singing ; while 

 the mighty tree near which our tents were pitched cast 

 a black shadow on the silver plain. Then the shenzis 

 who had helped us came to receive their reward, and 

 their hearts were gladdened with red cloth and salt, and 

 for those whose services had been greatest there were 

 special treasures in the shape of three green-and-white 

 umbrellas. It was a pleasant ending to a successful 

 hunt. 



On our return to Gondokoro we found Cuninghame 

 all right, although he had been obliged single-handed 

 to do the work of getting our porters safely started on 

 their return march to Kampalla, as well as getting all 

 the skins and skeletons properly packed for shipment. 

 Heller had also recovered, and had gone on a short trip, 

 during which he trapped a leopard and a serval at the 

 same carcass, the leopard killing the serval. Dr. IMearns 

 and Loring were both seriously sick ; so was the District 

 Commissioner, kind JNlr. Haddon. One day a German 

 missionary dined with us ; the next he was dead, of 

 black-water fever. An English sportsman whom we 

 had met at Nimule had been brought in so sick that 

 he was at death's door. Dr. M earns took care of him, 

 badly off though he himself was. We had brought 

 with us a case of champagne for just such emergencies ; 

 this was the first time that we made use of it. 



On the last day of February we started down the 

 Nile, slipping easily along on the rapid current, which 

 wound and twisted through stretches of reeds and 

 marsh grass and papyrus. We halted at the attractive 

 station of Lado for a good-bye breakfast with our kind 

 Belgian friends, and that evening we dined at Mongalla 

 with Colonel Owen, the Chief of the southernmost 



