THE LOWER BENCHES. 335 



back and showed us the bullet hole at the lower 

 edge of the ribs. One of my bullets, after 

 passing through the cheetah, had ricocheted 

 and picked this poor fellow out from the whole 

 of an empty landscape. And this after I had 

 delayed my rescue fairly to the point of danger 

 in order to avoid all chance of hurting some 

 one ! 



We had no means of telling how deeply the 

 bullet had penetrated ; so we reassured the 

 man, and detailed two men to assist him back 

 to camp by easy stages. He did not seem to be 

 suffering much pain, and he had lost little strength. 



At camp, however, we found that the wound 

 was deep. C. generously offered to make a forced 

 march in order to get the boy out to a hospital. 

 By hitting directly across the rough country 

 below the benches it was possible to shorten the 

 journey somewhat, provided V. could persuade 

 the Masai to furnish a guide. The country was 

 a desert, and the water scarce. We lined up our 

 remaining twenty-six men and selected the 

 twelve best and strongest. These we offered 

 a month and a half's extra wages for the trip. 

 We then made a hammock out of one of the 

 ground cloths, and the same afternoon C. started. 

 I sent with him four of my own men as far as the 



