308 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



human beings. We walked hours to reach land- 

 marks apparently only a few miles away. 



In this manner we crept along industriously 

 until noon, by which time we had nearly reached 

 the shoulder of Suswa, around which we had to 

 double. The sun was strong, and the men not yet 

 hardened to the work. We had many stragglers. 

 After lunch Memba Sasa and I strolled along on a 

 route flanking that of the safari, looking for the 

 first of our meat supply. Within a short time I 

 had killed a Thompson's gazelle. Some solemn 

 giraffes looked on at the performance, and then 

 moved off like mechanical toys. 



The day lengthened. We were in the midst 

 of wonderful scenery. Our objection grew to be 

 that it took so long to put any of it behind us. 

 Insensibly, however, we made progress. Sud- 

 denly, as it seemed, we found ourselves looking 

 at the other side of Suswa, and various brand- 

 new little craters had moved up to take the 

 places of our old friends. At last, about half- 

 past four, we topped the swell of one of the 

 numerous and interminable land billows that un- 

 dulate across all plains countries here, and saw 

 a few miles away the wagon outspanned. We 

 reached it about sunset, to be greeted by the wel- 

 come news that there was indeed water in the pan. 



