TREMENDOUS THUNDERSTORM 



feed, but had continued in single file up the trail. 

 Just before sunset I noticed that the elephants had 

 left the path and turned off to the left. Following in 

 their footsteps I found a small pool about half a mile 

 away. After drinking, they apparently had stayed 

 near it for some time, for the water was very muddy 

 and filthy ; they then had begun to feed, moving 

 slowly away towards the east. 



I decided to camp in the vicinity, as it was not 

 safe to travel in the dark after yesterday's experience. 

 The camels were a long way behind, so we sat down 

 under a bush to await their arrival. Huge storm- 

 clouds had been quietly gathering all afternoon, and 

 now a tremendous thunderstorm broke, wetting us to 

 the skin in an instant. The rain fell in solid sheets 

 of water, the track became a raging torrent, and pools 

 were formed in every hollow. To add to the dis- 

 comfort a strong wind rose, chilling us to the bone. 

 It was absolutely impossible to light a fire — not only 

 were the matches damp, but the few dead branches 

 lying about were thoroughly wet. So we stood and 

 shivered in the meagre shelter of a thorn bush and 

 tried to summon what patience we could until the 

 rest of the caravan turned up. 



Just as darkness was falling, and the storm was 

 abating, the camels came in ; the wet wood was 

 immediately collected in a huge heap, a few sheets 

 torn from my notebook were placed underneath, and 

 some paraffin poured over the lot, so that a few 

 minutes after applying the first match we were all 

 warming ourselves before a huge bonfire. It was 

 delightful to feel the heat, and although the rain had 

 rendered the ground very wet and muddy, and every- 

 thing was disagreeably sticky, yet the pleasure at 



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