ATTEMPT TO BURN ME OUT 



the Emperor's letter to him, and a copy of the one in 

 dispute. Early next morning I sent a man off with 

 these letters, while I skirmished round for small game, 

 seeing a good many oribi, duiker, and reedbuck. The 

 camp was a very hot one, and the flies were terrible. In 

 the course of the morning, we saw a large grass fire 

 rolling up the valley towards us ; the air was filled with 

 clouds of sparks and smoke, above which hawks and 

 kites were circling and swooping down just in front of 

 the flames, to pounce on the rat-like rodents on which 

 the cuberow or wolf lives. These were running from 

 their burrows, trying to escape being roasted. We all 

 turned out and fired a strip between our camp and the 

 grass fire, and when we had cleared a belt broad enough 

 to prevent the big fire jumping to the long grass on the 

 other side, eventually succeeded, by the aid of green 

 boughs and sheep-skins dipped in water, in extinguishing 

 the smaller fire we had created before it grew beyond 

 our control. After all danger to our camp was over, 

 the men came and danced in front of my tent, and 

 received as a reward some money, w^ith which to 

 purchase tej. In the evening another grass fire 

 broke out, and for some minutes it was touch and go, 

 whether we should save the tents or not ; as it was, 

 many of us got badly scorched, before the flames finally 

 swept by only a few yards to our left. We could not 

 doubt that these fires were lit on purpose to drive 

 me from the place ; but who instigated the villagers 

 to start them I could not find out, as each accused 

 the other. 



On the slope of the hill which rose just above camp 



