ACROSS THE THIRST 



view, and most unusual, but it robbed the Thirst of 

 its terrors. We were enabled to proceed leisurely, 

 and to get a good sleep near water every night. 

 The wagon had, as usual, pulled out some time dur- 

 ing the night. 



Our way led over a succession of low rolling 

 ridges each higher that its predecessor. Game herds 

 fed in the shallow valleys between. At about ten 

 o'clock we came to the foot of the Mau Escarpment; 

 and also to the unexpected sight of the wagon 

 outspanned. N'gombe Brown explained to us that 

 the oxen had refused to proceed farther in face of 

 a number of lions that came around to sniff at them. 

 Then the rain had come on, and he had been un- 

 willing to attempt the Mau while the footing was 

 slippery. This sounded reasonable; in fact it was 

 still reasonable. The grass was here fairly neck 

 high, and we found a rain-filled water hole. There- 

 fore we decided to make camp. Cuninghame and I 

 wandered out in search of game. We tramped a great 

 deal of bold, rugged country, both in canon bottoms 

 and along the open ridges, but found only a rhinoce- 

 ros, one bush buck and a dozen hartebeeste. African 

 game, as a general rule, avoids a country where the 

 grass grows very high. We enjoyed, however, some 

 bold and wonderful mountain scenery; and obtained 

 glimpses through the flying murk of the vast plains 



281 



