366 A JOURNEY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 



and it was here that apprehension was first awakened by their sup- 

 ply of water running out, and the reahzation that their provisions 

 also were inadequate for the trip. 



Quite undismayed by what seemed to cause the rest of the 

 party considerable anxiety, Colonel Roosevelt and his son Kermit, 

 in an effort to cheer the rapidly failing spirits of the others, laugh- 

 ingly joked over their experience, and bore their deprivation with- 

 out the slightest evidence of regret. They expected to reach a pool 

 in the neighborhood of Camp Plains, in a couple of hours, where 

 a fresh supply of water could be secured. 



Athirst, hungry and weary, the party struggled along the road 

 leading to the pool, anticipating the relief they would enjoy once 

 it was reached. The Colonel, with his porters and gun-bearers, 

 reached Camp Plains at last, completely worn out, only to find to 

 their dismay, that the pool was dry and the expected refreshment 

 for themselves and animals would have to be longer deferred. 



FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER. 



Members of the party set out in every direction in the vain 

 hope of being able to find another pool from which enough water 

 could be secured to tide them over the night. The search was a 

 fruitless one and that night, in despair, and with parched throats, 

 the members of the party were compelled to retire thirsty. 



In the hope of affording speedy relief, R. J. Cuninghame, 

 accompanied by a few porters, volunteered to hurry on, in advance 

 of the main body of the expedition, to the home of the Attenbor- 

 oughs, and secure a small supply of water and provisions to last the 

 party until it arrived. After a day spent trudging through the hot 

 sun, over the baked and parched ground, their limbs almost 

 exhausted from the fatigue incident to the long journey, Mr. Cun- 

 inghame and his porters staggered up to the Attenborough manor 

 house, just as the shades of evening were drawing down. 



Cuninghame was in terrible shape, as neither he nor any of 

 his porters or bearers had tasted food or water since they had left 

 the camp of Colonel Roosevelt early in the morning. When he was 

 sufficiently rested and had partaken of some food, he lost no time 



