In \Yi Iciest Africa -^ 



not as blissful as they should have been! Alter a time, 

 however, our need ot sleep prevailed, sheer physical 

 latigue overcame all our anxieties, and my Wandorobo 

 slumbered in peace. They had contrived a " charm," 

 and had set up a row ot chewed twigs all round to keep 

 off misfortune. Unfortunately it is not so easy tor a 

 Kuropean to believe in the etticacy ol these precautions! 

 It was interesting to observe that the \Vandoiobo 

 evinced much greater tear of the poisoned arrows ot the 

 Wakamba than of wild animals. In view of my subse- 

 quent experience, I myself in such a situation would view 

 the possibility of being attacked by elephants with much 

 greater alarm. 



As it happened, however, this night passed like 

 many another it not without danger, at least without 

 mishap. 



Day dawned. Xo bird-voices greeted it, tor. strange 

 to relate, we tound nothing but big game in this wooded 

 wilderness, save tor guinea-fowl (Nnwida rciclicno'i^i and 

 A cry II i inn t'ultnrinum, Hardw.) and francolins. The 

 small birds seem to have known that the water would 

 soon be exhausted, and that until the advent ot the 

 next rainy season this was no placer tor them. 



In the. grey ot early morning we made our way out 

 again into the velt. \\ e had to visit the neighbouring 

 watering-places and then to follow up SOUK; (resh set ot 

 elephant-tracks. It turned out that some ten big hull- 

 elephants had visited one ot the pools, and had lett what 

 remained ot the water a thick yellowish mud. I hey 

 had nibbed and scoured themselves afterwards against a 



406 



