DIMINISHING FOOD AND WATER 



know the value of things. But I noticed that their 

 ignorance has a very practical side, and I hesitate to 

 think of the value they will put on their services 

 when they do get to know "the value of things." 



Water and food were now fast diminishing ; the 

 animals in the district were becoming shy and wild, 

 so I decided to move on to another haunt of the 

 arrola, farther north. All the afternoon I spent in 

 writing letters and getting ready to plunge once more 

 into the bush on another stage of my long journey to 

 the Lorian. Abdi Aden excused himself now from 

 accompanying me, but as he had provided me with 

 another guide to take his place, his refusal was of no 

 importance. We parted on the most friendly terms, 

 and throughout my dealings with him I found him 

 pleasant, helpful and trustworthy. One of my 

 camels had been ill for some time, and now he died 

 from some obscure internal complaint called "gainda" 

 by the natives. But in proportion as the food 

 diminished the loads grew lighter, and his loss, 

 therefore, was of no serious consequence. 



Here Said, one of my porters, caught a delightful 

 little pet in the shape of a young mongoose. In size 

 he was as big as a small rat, with silk-like olive- 

 coloured hair and pink face. He quickly became 

 very tame, and was a general favourite with every- 

 body. He had for companion a tiny hare, which 

 one of the camel syces had caught in the plain near 

 by. They were kept in a curious little cage of bark, 

 really very ingeniously made by one of my men, in 

 shape and size similar to a large Rugby football. 



Very early the following morning the caravan got 

 under way. I left at the head of my men in gorgeous 

 moonlight ; we passed my old camp at Ob^ as dawn 



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