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birds meet the eye on every side. From tree to 

 tree huge grey spiders which weave webs of 

 silk-like material, which with the dew and the 

 morning sun upon them look like gauze curtains 

 suspended in the air. On the ground lurk 

 creeping things innumerable, and deadly mambas, 

 both olive and black varieties, whose bite means 

 a sure and speedy death. Wherever there is a 

 rocky kopje you are sure to hear at nightfall the 

 hideous scream of the baboons. 



The last night out we made for a pond, famed 

 all the country round, in order that my men 

 might do great things in the washing line, and 

 get themselves spick-and-span to make their entree 

 into Bombo, the head-quarters of the regiment. 

 It was a great disappointment to us, however, to 

 find nothing but a muddy puddle, well trampled 

 by oxen, who had just been watered there. 

 Needless to say we did not stay for our proposed 

 washing, but hurried on. After the long, flat 

 stretch of waterless, dust-covered country we had 

 crossed, it was a great relief to reach the hills 

 round Bombo, where the rustling fronds of the 

 banana trees give their pleasing shade, to attain 

 the land of sweet potatoes and all things good that 

 appeal to the long-suffering porter's stomach. 



And so Bombo was reached. We had time 

 and to spare to rest our weary legs there before 

 setting forth once more on my last journey out 

 of this unhealthy land. 



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