HARTEBEESTE AND WATER-BUCK 



released it, it would fly back and catch the unfortunate 

 chicken like a shot from a gun, causing it to struggle and 

 cackle vigorously. 



A few hours after leaving Wadelai we came upon 

 several old elephant tracks. A large number of trees had 

 been torn up by the roots and lay strewn across the path. 

 Although elephants had previously been travelling in our 

 direction it was necessary in places to get the boys at 

 work with the axes to clear a path through the dense 

 creepers and other growth. When about eight miles 

 from Wadelai we emerged from the dense wooded country 

 on to a fine stretch of short grass. We were now on a 

 branch of the Nile ; but it was only fifty yards across, 

 the navigable portion being two miles further east and 

 cut off from us by a dense stretch of papyrus and reeds. 

 This is one of the Nile reaches and swarms with hippo- 

 potami. I called a halt in order to let the boys rest 

 before continuing to skirt along the bank to the next 

 village, which could be seen on an elevated position a 

 few miles away. 



Three or four old grass huts close by aroused my 

 curiosity, especially as a square shack, partially beaten 

 down by the wind, stood beside them, for in the Congo 

 square huts are only built by white men. In one of the 

 huts I found an old Eno's Fruit Salt label, a broken gourd, 

 and a pair of horns lay on the roof. I was busily engaged 

 investigating, when a yell arose from one of the boys 

 who had put his head into the opening of one of the 

 huts, and in spite of his black skin he turned an ashen 

 pallor as he ran back to the others shouting " Nyoka " 

 (snake). Picking up a stick and standing in front of the 

 door I called all the boys, telling them to arm themselves 

 in a similar manner and surround the hut ; the grass 

 being dry I had no trouble in setting fire to it with 

 a match, and in a few seconds the hut was aflame. 

 Sticks were raised aloft and blankets held out in front of 



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