310 AFRICAN CAMP FIRES. 



silence ; then a single voice would open, to be 

 joined immediately by the others. 



We awoke next day to an unexpected cold 

 drizzle. This was a bit uncomfortable, from one 

 point of view, and most unusual, but it robbed 

 the thirst of its terrors. We were enabled to 

 proceed leisurely, and to get a good sleep near 

 water every night. The wagon had, as usual, 

 pulled out some time during the night. 



Our way led over a succession of low rolling 

 ridges each higher than its predecessor. Game 

 herds fed in the shallow valleys between. At 

 about ten o'clock we came to the foot of the 

 Mau Escarpment, and also to the unexpected 

 sight of the wagon outspanned. N'gombe Brown 

 explained to us that the oxen had refused to 

 proceed farther in face of a number of lions 

 that came around to sniff at them. Then the 

 rain had come on, and he had been unwilling to 

 attempt the Mau while the footing was slippery. 

 This sounded reasonable ; in fact, it was still 

 reasonable. The grass was here fairly neck high, 

 and we found a rain-filled water-hole. There- 

 fore we decided to make camp. C. and I wan- 

 dered out in search of game. We tramped a great 

 deal of bold, rugged country, both in canon 

 bottoms and along the open ridges, but found only 



