AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



The Masai stood side by side, the long spear poised, 

 the bow bent, fine, tense figures in bronze. 



Near sundown we found ourselves by a swift little 

 stream in the bottom of a deep ravine. Here we 

 left the men to make camp, and ourselves climbed a 

 big mountain on the other side. It gave us a look 

 abroad over a wilderness of hills, forested heavily, 

 and a glimpse of the land-fall far away where no 

 white man had ever been. This was as far south as 

 we were destined to get, though at the time we did 

 not know it. Our plan was to push on two days 

 more. Near the top of the ridge we found the 

 unmistakable tracks of the bongo. This is in- 

 teresting to zoologists in that it extends the south- 

 ward range of this rare and shy beast. 



Just at dark we regained our camp. It was built 

 California fashion for the first and last time in 

 Africa: blankets spread on canvas under the open sky 

 and a gipsy fire at our feet, over which I myself 

 cooked our very simple meal. As we were smoking 

 our pipes in sleepy content, Leyeye and the two 

 Masai appeared for a shauri. Said the Masai: 



"We have taken you over the country we know. 

 There are elephants there sometimes, but there are 

 no elephants there now. We can take you farther, 

 and if you wish us to do so, we will do so; but we 

 know no more of the country than you do. But 



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