CHAPTER XIX 



An obstinate guide — A path only fit for monkeys — •' Tota ■'-shooting — A 

 devil's home — Hippopotamus-shooting — Two walk ashore, another 

 sinks — A busy day — Firing a mule — Fording the Abbai — Crocodile- 

 shooting — A dangerous crossing — Great heat — Racing a jungle-fire 

 — A picturesque village — Herds of bohor — The Abyssinian wolf and 

 field-rats. 



On reaching the first level ground below the cliffs, I 

 was surprised to find the mules unloaded and my tent 

 partially pitched. On inquiry, my men said this had 

 been done because the guide had told them there was no 

 other place to camp ; but, being dissatisfied with this 

 excuse, I had the loads replaced, and gave orders that 

 the beasts were not to be unloaded till the river bank 

 was reached, I then went on ahead, the guide pro- 

 testing every ten minutes that we had arrived at the 

 last stream of water on the way. When he found this 

 excuse of no avail, and saw that I went steadily on, he 

 declared that it would be impossible for the mules to 

 reach the river before dark. Passing through a little 

 village of six or eight huts, the path entered thick 

 scrub, in which we put up a bushbuck, but the jungle 

 was so thick I could not catch sight of it. The guide 



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