16 MY SOMALI BOOK 



had come to meet us, and now helped to carry in the 

 meat and horns to Deragodleh, where we arrived, 

 to find the caravan unloading, at about 10 o'clock. 

 A few shots at a target here confirmed the view that 

 the Mannlicher was a trifle oversighted, and made for 

 a better understanding between me and my weapon ; 

 likewise satisfied Elmi that though I might be a duffer 

 it was as yet " not proven." So far the impression 

 Elmi had made upon me was a good one, but if our 

 trip was to be a success it was necessary that the good 

 impression should be in some degree mutual. No 

 shikari can be expected to go on providing opportunities 

 for a man who never takes advantage of them unless 

 by accident. 



Four hours' rest and we were on the march again, 

 reaching Lafarug, where we encamped, at dusk ; the 

 day's march being 25 miles. This time I found it a 

 mistake not putting up a tent for the night, as the 

 dew was extremely heavy. Soon after starting next 

 morning I got another aoul, first shot this time. 



Midday brought us to Mandera, a valley at the foot 

 of the Golis. Before reaching our halting place, Elmi 

 and I explored part of a patch of thick thorn jungle 

 with an undergrowth of htg aloes (or rather sansevieria), 

 in which lesser kudu were known to dwell. Kudu 

 tracks there certainly were, fresh and stale, and 

 presently, cautiously peering across an open glade, 

 Elmi drew my attention to three forms partly visible 

 under the trees on the far side some seventy yards 

 away. I soon distinguished a young buck and a doe 

 lesser kudu, but it was impossible to see what the 

 third was like. So we waited two or three minutes 



