220 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



place, and beyond if necessary, to see if a range of 

 mountains or other physical feature existed which 

 would form a good and suitable natural eastern 

 boundary to the Reserve. If circumstances per- 

 mitted I then intended to mark out a northern 

 boundary as far as Lake Rudolf, returning through 

 the heart of the Reserve ; but, as we shall see later, 

 it was impossible to carry out this part of my pro- 

 gramme. 



I had given instructions that the camp was to be 

 roused early. Accordingly, at sunrise, everything 

 being ready, we said good-bye to Leleleit and 

 set off along the right bank of the Guaso Nyiro. 

 It would have been more agreeable to have marched 

 all the time along the banks of the river, under 

 the shade of the fine trees that in places grow along 

 the water's edge, but it was not always possible to 

 do this on account of the dense undergrowth and 

 great masses of rock which here and there barred 

 the way. 



The country to the right and left of our route 

 was more or less broken and intersected with dry 

 ravines, while there was thick bush, mainly of wait- 

 a-bit thorns, everywhere. The heat was intense, 

 and there was no shelter of any kind save what was 

 scantily afforded by a few stunted acacias or weird- 

 looking euphorbias. 



Away to our left front could be seen a peculiar 



