HAWEYAH HUNTERS 



up into the branches. But recovering from their 

 momentary panic, they climbed down as low as they 

 dared, and crowding together, they growled and 

 barked at me ; each time I approached they dis- 

 appeared into the topmost branches or hurled them- 

 selves with extraordinary recklessness and skill from 

 tree to tree, but as soon as they saw I was not 

 following them their curiosity got the better of their 

 fear, and they returned, chattering and screaming, 

 to growl defiance at the intruder. They looked for- 

 midable enough, especially the old males with their 

 enormous teeth bared in impotent fury, but at last 

 they made off, jumping from tree-top to tree-top until 

 their frightened chattering died away in the distance, 

 and silence fell once more upon the bush. 



It was time too that I should return to camp, and 

 so, regretfully, I turned my back on the river, and 

 walked slowly through the grove of dom palms out 

 into the little plain. The shadows were lengthening 

 as I reached my tent, and the sun was sinking below 

 Marti, softening its outline with its golden light and 

 tinging with opalescent hues the low-lying mist that 

 hung above the river. While I was having supper, 

 my headman came up to inform me that the syces, who 

 had been on guard over the camels, had met and 

 brought into camp two Haweyah hunters. I told him 

 to bring them before me, as I thought that they might 

 be very useful as guides if I could persuade them to 

 go with me. They appeared at length — one well on 

 in years, the other about thirty — and stood in front of 

 my table in the dim circle of light cast by my lamp. 



They seemed very nervous and ill at ease, and 

 glanced first at the uniform of my askaris and then 

 at me with evident apprehension. So I ordered " buni" 



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