254 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



to await the safari. The tree-tops were full of 

 both the brown and blue monkeys, baboons 

 barked at us from a distance, the air was musical 

 with many sweet birds. Big thunder-clouds were 

 gathering around the horizon. 



The safari came in. Mohammed immediately 

 sought us out to report, in great excitement, that 

 he had seen five kudu across the stream. He 

 claimed to have watched them even after the 

 safari had passed, and that they had not been 

 alarmed. The chance was slight that those 

 kudu could be found, but still it was a chance. 

 Accordingly we rather reluctantly gave up our 

 plans for a loaf and a nap. Mohammed said the 

 place was an hour back ; we had had six hours' 

 march already. However, about two o'clock 

 we set out. Before we had arrived quite at the 

 spot we caught a glimpse of the five kudu as they 

 dashed across a tiny opening ahead of us. They 

 had moved downstream and crossed the river. 



It seemed rather hopeless to follow them into 

 that thick country once they had been alarmed, 

 but the prize was great. Therefore Memba Sasa 

 and I took up the trail. We crept forward a mile, 

 very quiet, very tense very sweaty. Then sim- 

 ultaneously, through a chance opening and a 

 long distance away, we caught a patch of gray 



