HUNTING AND HUNTED IN BELGIAN CONGO 



on around the little heap of ashes, carrying on a whispered 

 conversation for a little longer. Now and again the howl 

 of a pariah dog or jackal in the distance broke in on the 

 still night air. The fires across the river were kept going 

 up to a late hour, until, with a tremendous beating of 

 drums and frantic shouting, the dance finished and the 

 village was hushed in peace. 



When two white people are together far from the 

 outer world, their conversation often takes a peculiar 



turn ; for instance, that evening P and I compared 



our ideas as to the best author living at present, or 

 discussed the merits of the last plays we had seen, where 

 we had last stayed in London, the best place for a rump 

 steak in town, and so forth. At length we drifted into 

 our respective tents and prepared to dream of the 

 happenings of another day spent far from the cant, 

 hypocrisy and cares of the outer world. 



The next morning, Saturday, we decided to overhaul 

 our stores, examine the medicine chests, etc. During 

 the morning word came in by a boy who had travelled 

 down from the Nimule country, that large herds of 

 elephants were gathering along the banks of the Assua 

 River. Sabawa, who claimed to have a complete know- 

 ledge of that country, was straightway brought forward. 



Eventually P determined to go over to the Assua 



River via Fatiko, cross the river and work down it to 

 Nimule. 



I was going to see what the Lado contained. The 

 whole country on both sides of the Nile had recently 

 been under water, so we decided to leave the tents at 

 Wadelai in order that the boys might travel light and 

 enable us to cover greater distance. The fly, or outer 

 sheet of the big Edgington tent was erected on the Uganda 

 side of the Nile, just above Lake Rube, on a patch of 

 short grass under a large tree. Here we placed the loads 

 that we would not require for at least two months. 



62 



