THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 45 



and up over a low pass to look abroad on so beautiful a 

 wide shallow grass valley dotted with groves that we 

 named it Pleasant Valley. Here we saw a few head 

 of game, including some eland. Cuninghame climbed 

 the south ridge of Pleasant Valley and reported preci- 

 pices. Therefore our only possible course must be 

 down the valley. We must take our luck at the lower 

 end. Got in at sundown. 



At midnight two rhinos from the salt lick blundered 

 into the edge of camp. Great excitement and row, 

 and we had to turn out to scare them off. 



Safari, five hours ; 1 1 J miles. We did in addition four 

 hours; about 9 miles; elevation, 6,200; morning, 2^^;_ 

 noon, 72 ; night, 58. Coldest morning I have ever seen 

 in Africa. 



July 20. — Marched up through our forest pass and 

 on to lower end of Pleasant Valley. There we squatted 

 the safari, and Cuninghame and I each went in for a 

 long hunt for a way out of the cup. Each found a 

 feasible route. Surmounted the ridge that hemmed in 

 the valley and looked out upon another very big oval 

 valley filled with thorn scrub. It was completely 

 surrounded by another high rampart, with only an 

 apparent narrow break where a river went through 

 about six miles distant and at the lower end. 



Headed for that. Hard travel over rough country 

 in high grass and thorns that tore at us eagerly. At 

 the lower end of the valley we marched high above a 



