THE UASO NYIRO— BABOONS 



appeared the rich brown of the slowly moving water 

 below, and above the pale blue of the tropical sky. 

 The incessant hum of mosquitoes and other insects 

 sounded not unpleasantly, and only seemed to intensify 

 the drowsy stillness of that enchanting spot. Coming 

 as it did after months of travel through an arid and 

 jungle-covered country, across desert plain and un- 

 healthy swamp under a burning sun, this scene of 

 beauty and of peace made a deep impression on me, 

 and I was loth to leave it. At length, however, I 

 made my way alone down to the edge of the river, 

 and there lay down in comfort and enjoyed a pleasant 

 hour of rest after the hard march we had accomplished 

 that morning. 



The Uaso Nyiro, which is about 150 feet broad at 

 this point, flowed calmly and slowly between low 

 banks. The deep mud-coloured water showed scarcely 

 a ripple on its surface, except where a few tiny sand- 

 bars and patches of reeds broke the smooth monotony 

 of its course. 



I had fallen almost asleep, soothed by the silence 

 and peace of the surrounding scene, when I was 

 startled by a loud chattering and barking a few yards 

 up-stream. I got up quietly, and on peering through 

 the bushes caught sight of a troop of baboons making 

 their way down to the water's edge. They had been 

 jumping from tree-top to tree-top, but now had come 

 down and were walking through the undergrowth, 

 led by an old male. Some were playing or quarrelling, 

 others searching for food, but all were heading for the 

 river. The little wind there was was blowing up 

 towards them, so they soon became aware of my 

 presence. Immediately a babel of alarmed cries 

 broke out, and they leaped back into the bush and 



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