XXVIII. 

 DOWN THE RIVER. 



ELIEVED now of all anxiety as to water, we 

 A V had merely to make our way downstream. 

 First, however, there remained the interesting 

 task of detennining its source. 



Accordingly next day we and our gunbearers 

 left the boys to a well-earned rest, and set out 

 upstream. At first we followed the edge of the 

 river jungle, tramping over hard hot earth, wind- 

 ing in and out of growths of thorn scrub and bril- 

 liant aloes. We saw a herd of impallas gliding 

 like phantoms ; and as we stood in need of meat, 



1 shot at one of them but missed. The air was 

 very hot and moist. At five o'clock in the morn- 

 ing the thermometer had stood at 78 ; and by 

 noon it had mounted to 106. In addition the 

 atmosphere was filled with the humidity that 

 later in the day was to break in extraordinary 



