AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



at the base of Suswa. On a precipitous canon 

 cliff we found a hanging garden of cactus and of 

 looped cactuslike vines that was a marvel to behold. 

 We ran across the hartebeeste on our way home. 

 Our men were already out of meat: the hartebeeste 

 of yesterday had disappeared. These porters are 

 a good deal like the old-fashioned Michigan lumber- 

 jacks they take a good deal of feeding for the 

 first few days. When we came upon the little herd 

 in the neck-high grass, I took a shot. At the report 

 the animal went down flat. We wandered over 

 slowly. Memba Sasa whetted his knife and walked 

 up. Thereupon Mr. Hartebeeste jumped to his 

 feet; flirted his tail gayly, and departed. We fol- 

 lowed him a mile or so, but he got stronger and 

 gayer every moment; until at last he frisked out of 

 the landscape quite strong and hearty. In all my 

 African experience I lost only six animals hit by 

 bullets, as I took infinite pains and any amount of 

 time to hunt down wounded beasts. This animal 

 was, I think, "creased" by too high a shot. Cer- 

 tainly he was not much injured; and certainly he 

 got a big shock to start with. 



The little herd had gone on. I got down and 

 crawled on hands and knees in the thick grass. It 

 was slow work; and I had to travel by landmarks. 

 When I finally reckoned I had about reached the 



282 



