44 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



months old slung on her back by means of a 

 cowskin bag. It was a wretched little piece of 

 humanity, and howled piteously most of the time, 

 which was a thing not to be wondered at consider- 

 ing its most uncomfortable position. Why it was 

 not smothered is a mystery to me. The mother 

 appealed to us to cure it of fever and colic, so we 

 did the best we could, but with what success I 

 know not, as it was still wailing plaintively when 

 we parted company some days afterwards. 



We crossed the river in safety, and then climbed 

 the escarpment which for many miles bounds it 

 on the left bank, and pitched our tents under some 

 shady trees on the Yatta Plateau, All the water 

 had to be brought up here from the Athi, much to 

 the disgust of the porters, who wished to camp 

 down by the river, regardless of the crowds of 

 mosquitoes which had their abode there among the 

 tall reeds and grass lining the banks. 



In the afternoon I went out again to explore the 

 surrounding country, accompanied only by Abbudi 

 and Mellauw. When I had gone some little dis- 

 tance, I saw, about a quarter of a mile away, a 

 weather-beaten and battle-scarred old rhino with 

 fairly good horns, standing complacently under a 

 tree, apparently enjoying an afternoon siesta. Now, 

 my friends had never shot a rhino, and were, of 

 course, most anxious to bag one. I thought, there- 



