THREE LIONS AND NO RIFLE I 



over fifteen thousand miles from home. Had eitli< 1 <>i 

 us been a second later at the Post-office , oeithei be nor 

 I would ever have known how close we were to each 

 other. 



The country between Panyongo and Wadelai was in 

 a terrible state of flood, and the rivers were, with the 

 exception of the Nile, almost unrecognizable. The banks 

 had been washed away and the greatest care had to be 

 taken not to approach a river without first acquiring 

 some idea as to the whereabouts of the stream that lay 

 under water. In the country before reaching Wadelai 

 the water was up to our necks for three miles, and the 

 submerged path so slippery that we had to steady our- 

 selves by clutching at the tall grass. It was only with 

 the greatest exertions in fighting against twisted roots 

 and down-trodden grass, which became entangled in our 

 feet and legs, that we managed to keep our heads above 

 the filthy water, which had lain stagnant for days and was 

 teeming with fly and insect life. It took us five hours 

 to do the three miles. Every now and again the leading 

 boy — who had been relieved of his load and was acting 

 as pilot — would disappear entirely as he fell into 

 a concealed hole made by an elephant or hippopo- 

 tamus. A shout of laughter would go up from the othes 

 boys at sight of an accident happening to any one but 

 themselves, and when the unfortunate creature again 

 arose to the surface he would be greeted with peals of 

 delight as the water poured out of his ears and nose. 

 It was no holiday trip, that march of five hours in water, 

 up to one's neck and a little bit higher in places, that 

 reeked of stagnation and swarmed with every insert 

 imaginable, becoming tangled in hidden grass underfoot, 

 momentarily expecting to fall a victim to a crocodile ; 

 water everywhere and not a drop fit to drink. But we 

 drank all the same, in spite of the insects and other 

 creatures it contained. Overhead a burning sun poured 



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