AN OLD PRIEST 271 



Kassa told me that he had seen two men on the hill-top 

 to-day watching us, and that a village close to this had 

 been lately looted. 



Next morning, I worked the northern end of the 

 same hill. We first saw a bushbuck, but I couldn't get 

 a shot ; then an old wart-hog with poor tusks went off, 

 grunting and looking most indignant at being disturbed. 

 Soon after, two roan antelope came in sight, making 

 their way up-hill after a morning drink in the river. We 

 tried to cut them off, but they quickened their pace and 

 headed us. After a sharp scramble and run up-hill, I 

 managed to bring one down, which proved to be a 

 rather small -horned bull. Although we all examined 

 any likely ground, we saw no tracks of kudu, and I 

 can only suppose that, if they ever existed here, the 

 rinderpest has killed them all off. We found camp at 

 Asharmar, a pretty spot among trees, with some culti- 

 vated ground close by, and little wooded hills in the 

 distance. 



Next day I worked along the hill-tops to the south 

 of the Balarse, keeping a sharp look-out on either side for 

 greater kudu. We had a mid-day halt at the ruins of what 

 was once a big village ; for all this part of the country is 

 very fertile, and formerly was thickly populated. A church, 

 with the terrible name of Karnarnowastatuos, and a few 

 huts for the priests and their servants are all that is left. 

 The people brought me some good tej and excellent 

 white bread for lunch. I had a long talk with the head 

 priest, a very old man, whom Basha Kassa greeted by 

 dropping on one knee and kissing the hem of his 

 shamma, after which the old man raised him to kiss the 



