232 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



askaris limped in only at the end of half an 

 hour. Then we took a new start. 



The sun was by now up and hot. The work 

 was difficult enough at best, but the weight of the 

 tropics was now cast in the scale. Twice more 

 within the next two hours we stopped to let 

 every one catch up. Each time this required a 

 longer interval. In the thorn it was absolutely 

 essential to keep in touch with every member of 

 the party. A man once lost would likely remain 

 so, for we could not afford to endanger all for the 

 sake of one. 



Time wore on until noon. Had it not been for a 

 thin film of haze that now overspread the sky, I 

 think the sun would have proved too much for 

 some of the men. Four or five straggled so very 

 badly that we finally left them in charge of one of 

 our two askaris, with instructions to follow on 

 as fast as they could. In order to make this 

 possible, we were at pains to leave a well-marked 

 trail. 



After this fashion, slowly, and with growing 

 anxiety for some of the men, we drew up on our 

 landmark hill. There our difficulties increased ; 

 the thorn brush thickened. Only by a series of 

 short zigzags, and by taking advantage of every 

 rhino trail going in our direction, could we make 



