THROUGH THE ENCHANTED FOREST 



I offered a half rupee as a prize for an archery 

 competition, for I was curious to get a line on their 

 marksmanship. The bull's-eye was a piece of 

 typewriter paper* at thirty paces. This they 

 managed to puncture only once out of fifteen tries; 

 though they never missed it very widely. V. seemed 

 quite put out at this poor showing, so I suppose 

 they can ordinarily do better; but I imagine they 

 are a good deal like our hunting Indians, poor shots 

 but very skilful at stalking close to a beast. 



Our missing porter, with the tent, was brought in 

 next afternoon by Kongoni, who had gone in search 

 of him. The man was a big, strong Kavirondo. He 

 was sullen, and merely explained that he was "tired." 

 This excuse for a five hours' march after eight days' 

 rest! I fined him eight rupees, which I gave Kongoni 

 and ordered him twenty-five lashes. Six weeks later 

 he did the same trick. Cuninghame alotted him fifty 

 lashes and had him led thereafter by a short rope 

 around the neck. He was probably addicted to 

 opium. This was the only man to be formally kibo- 

 koed on the whole trip a good testimony at once 

 to Cuninghame's management, the discrimination we 

 had used in picking them out, and the settled reputa- 

 tions we had by now acquired. 



After Cuninghame's return we prepared to pene- 



*8xioJ inches. 



327 



