230 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



picturesque in the flickering lights. We envied 

 them vaguely their denned route that permitted 

 night travel, and sank to sleep. 



In the morning, however, we found they had 

 left with us new responsibilities in the shape of 

 an elderly Somali, very sick, and down with 

 the fever. This was indeed a responsibility. It 

 was manifestly impossible for us to remain there 

 with him ; we should all die of thirst. It was 

 equally impossible to take him with us, for he was 

 quite unfit to travel under the sun. Finally, as 

 the best solution of a bad business, we left him 

 five gallons of water, some food, and some quinine, 

 together with the advice to rest until night, and 

 then to follow his companions along the beaten 

 track. What between illness and wild beasts his 

 chances did not look very good, but it was the 

 best we could do for him. This incident exem- 

 plifies well the cruelty of this singular people. 

 They probably abandoned the old man because 

 his groans annoyed them, or because one of 

 them wanted to ride in his place on the donkey 

 cart.* 



We struck off as early as possible through the 

 thorn scrub on a compass bearing that we hoped 



* I have just heard that this old man survived, and has been 

 singing our praises in Nairobi as the saviour of his life. 



