THE ENCHANTED FOREST. 359 



the shoulder that it ran barely a hundred yards 

 before stopping. The poison more or less loses 

 its efficiency, however, after the sticky, tarlike 

 substance has dried out. 



I offered a half-rupee as a prize for an archery 

 competition, for I was curious to get a view of 

 their marksmanship. The bull's-eye was a piece 

 of typewriter paper at thirty paces.* This they 

 managed to puncture only once out of fifteen 

 tries, though they never missed it very widely. 

 V. seemed quite put out at this poor showing, so 

 I suppose they can ordinarily do better ; but I 

 imagine they are a good deal like our hunting 

 Indians poor shots, but very skilful at stalking 

 close to a beast. 



Our missing porter, with the tent, was brought 

 in next afternoon by Kongoni, who had gone 

 in search of him. The man was a big, strong 

 Kavirondo. He was sullen, and merely ex- 

 plained that he was "tired." This excuse for 

 a five hours' march after eight days' rest ! I 

 fined him eight rupees, which I gave Kongoni, 

 and ordered him twenty-five lashes. Six weeks 

 later he did the same trick. C. allotted him 

 fifty lashes, and had him led thereafter by a 

 short rope around the neck. He was probably 



* Eight by ten and a half inches. 



