THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 175 



expression came and knelt before us holding out in two 

 toil-hardened hands a bowl of milk. She continued 

 kneeling there quite humbly while Ali took the milk, 

 nor could we get a word out of her, nor a change of ex- 

 pression. We put a whole string of blue beads in the 

 bowl, and she bowed very low, and arose and van- 

 ished. 



Five hours; march 7 J miles; hunt 5 J miles; elevation, 

 4,300; morning, 70; noon, 80; night, 64. Heavy rain 

 and thunder in evening. 



September 13. — Cuninghame is consumed with a 

 desire to scout for elephants in some far western dis- 

 trict, and I am equally desirous of exploring to the. 

 south. As it is desirable to do both, we have agreed to 

 separate for three weeks, meeting at a rumoured ford 

 on the Mara. When we came to make up chop boxes, 

 found we were short of some things, so had to wait to- 

 day while men went back to relay up what the dead 

 donkeys ought to be carrying. 



Ali came to report: 



"There is no tea, there is no oatmeal, there is no 

 sugar," said he — three essentials. 



Said I ironically, "Have we plenty of anything? '* 



"Yes, " said Ali innocently, "plenty of soap." 



Cuninghame went off to another village in hopes of 

 recruits, I out for gift meat. Of course everything was 

 very wild. Missed a wildebeeste in high grass at 350 

 yards, then dropped a zebra at 280. Turned him over 



