Untrodden Paths 37 



bringing home as complete a set of collections as the time would 

 allow. Knowing, too, the ideas held by Professor Matschie, of 

 the Berlin Zoological Museum, for the propagation of the buffalo, 

 I particularly desired to try and fill up any gaps that existed in 

 the series of his observations. For five days I hunted the buffalo 

 untiringly, but all my efforts to bag one were vain. I often 

 nearly came up with a herd, but some slight, unavoidable noise, 

 such as the breaking of a papyrus stalk or a sudden puff of wind, 

 would ruin the attempt. To secure my end I often sacrificed my 

 night's rest, watching in glorious moonshine. I would leave the 

 camp, and attempt to stalk the buffaloes until after midnight in 

 an inhospitable, desolate, and most inconceivably trying tract of 

 country. Many a time I have heard buffaloes all round me 

 passing through the papyrus, and with my rifle ready I have 

 waited for their appearance at one of the many clearings. All in 

 vain! I did not manage to get in a single shot, and turned back 

 to camp terribly disappointed and horribly stung by mosquitoes. 

 On one occasion a characteristic short, sharp growl from a 

 leopard riveted my attention, but in spite of the clear moonlight 

 I could not sight him. I returned to the swamp again, accom- 

 panied by the faithful Ombascha Mtoni, my companion of the 

 Masai steppe in 1905. All the others remained behind. On 

 joining them again, empty handed, they showed me the fresh 

 tracks of two lions which had come within rifle range but had 

 vanished at their shouts. The last straw ! 



The 23rd of July brought us further correspondence. Weiss 

 sent a letter dated from Oregero begging for provisions. I also 

 received a letter from Captain von Grawert, the Ruanda Resident, 

 inviting me to visit the palace of Sultan Msinga of Ruanda on 

 our march from Mohasi to Lake Kiwu ; he proposed to await us 

 there, where great preparations for our arrival were already being 

 made. Then a report had to be sent to Leipzig, which occupied 

 nearly the rest of the day. 



By this time our commissariat supplies were dwindling to 

 such an alarming extent that we could not think of remaining 

 any longer where we were if we desired to avoid serious trouble. 



