THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY i6i 



in the thin scrub. Pretty hot and winded we stopped 

 a few moments, then went on. Very strong sun. 

 Game came in streaks, first a barren country, then 

 plenty of it. Thunder was brewing in all directions. 

 We are now approaching the Little Rains. The day 

 starts overcast, soon clears to a hot noon and after- 

 noon, then gathers at dusk to great piled clouds and 

 peals of thunder and jagged lightning and a tremen- 

 dous downpour somewhere. Sometimes it hits us; 

 again we see it in the distance. 



Toward four o'clock began to think of meat. I 

 missed a waterbuck at long range (about 350 yards), 

 and then a hartebeeste twice at about 200 yards. Soon 

 after struck tangling long grass with a high hill beyond, 

 and apparently a grassy donga between. Looked like 

 a long distance yet, as evidently we must surmount the 

 high hill before we could come to the river. Then we 

 marched to the donga — and found it the river, big and 

 deep as ever, but with here no trees to mark its course. 

 One of those happy surprises that do not often happen. 

 Camped thankfully in the middle of a shady thicket. 



Hunt 6 miles; march also iij miles; 5 J hours; ele- 

 vation, 4,100; morning, 68; noon, 96; night, 73. 



September 8. — Started up river across country, as the 

 stream here made an obvious bend. Shortly ran into 

 an immense herd (fifty or sixty) of sing-sing, and stalked 

 them nicely, but did some rotten shooting, as it took me 

 eight shots at 200 to 250 }'ards to get the two does wc 



