THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 197 



tended gift chickens stuck every which way over his 

 head, like Tom o' Bedlam. Shot a lucky topi near camp 

 at 232 yards. 



Three and a half hours; 10 miles; morning, 67; noon, 

 85; night, 71. 



September 20. — Have had a lot of fever among the 

 men of late, and had to hold an extra clinic this morn- 

 ing.* Left Myeru's at 6:40 after considerable manena 

 with the savage porters, who as usual wanted to quit. 

 Got them going by combination of threats and promises. 

 Long march, or it seemed to me long, down the length 

 of the hills, then over, through, and between the smaller 

 cones, kopjes, and ridges with which the system ends. 

 Lots of green parrots that fly very fast with a rapid, 

 whirring, quail-like method of going. Native villages 

 everywhere, and isolated shambas. Country open and 

 grassy, with rock outcrops and little groves and scat- 

 tered trees. 



I had my canvas chair carried for me, and rested in 

 it often. At one point the safari caught and passed me, 

 thus resting, and went on over the hills. They evi- 

 dently thought I was safe for a while, for no sooner 

 were they over the summit than they threw down their 

 loads. It was still an hour till rest time, and this was 

 sheer impudence. By luck I happened to go on very 

 shortly and caught them at it. Then I waded into 

 them, striking at their shins with my stick. They 



* The official time for doctoring is just before the evening meal. 



