A TRYING TIME 



mile broad. This is drained by a small stream that 

 runs into the Deshek Wama at a place called Soya. 

 From the head of the valley the country rises 

 gradually towards the south, with an average slope 

 of I : 800, so that it was at once obvious that the 

 Guranlagga did not flow southwards, and that there- 

 fore existing maps were at fault. My guide also de- 

 clared that it was still three days' march from Seyera 

 and that it flowed west to east, and I discovered later 

 that his statements were not far wrong. 



The next sixteen days were a very trying ordeal 

 to me. Between attacks of acute dysentery I 

 managed to do a little work, and by short and 

 painful marches reached the little district of Gururu, 

 which is situated some sixteen miles west of Seyera 

 Swamp. Here I had to give in, and while lying 

 seriously ill, I sent back to Kismayu for various 

 things I needed. I was disheartened, and almost 

 despaired of being able to accomplish my purpose 

 of reaching the Lorian Swamp. It w^as an unenviable 

 position, for although I was extremely ill and in great 

 pain, I was compelled to issue orders daily to my 

 headman, and keep my men busy. I lacked invalid 

 food of any kind, for I had been obliged to cut down 

 my own provisions to the barest minimum, and a 

 continued diet of weak tea and toast, although harm- 

 less, was not calculated to check my growing physical 

 weakness. The damp, enervating heat night and 

 day, when the whole world seemed steaming, and 

 the unpleasant attentions of a variety of insects, 

 which ranged from mosquitoes and flies to wood-lice 

 and giant spiders, added greatly to my discomforts. 

 As a last misfortune, malarial fever broke out among 

 my men, and I was obliged to attend to the sick 



76 



