THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 243 



shade. The water was milk-white with mud. The 

 tea, coffee, soup, etc., all looked alike, but it was cool 

 and did not taste of cowdung, which was a happy 

 surprise. The "lady guide" disappeared before we 

 had a chance to reward her; but next day an individual 

 announcing himself her husband put in a modest claim. 



I forgot to say that three hours ' back, from a height, 

 I got my first view of Victoria Nyanza — a deep blue 

 distant and narrow bay, with islands, bold headlands, 

 and a sea beyond. 



Seven hours; 14! miles; morning, 70; noon, 89; night, 

 78; elevation, 4,200. 



October 3. — The savage was on hand before day- 

 light to take us to the buffalo. He had a strong and 

 well-made bow and arrows, and nothing else. Very 

 keen, hard-working, good old boy, and we were strong 

 for him. He had buffalo there all right, but living as 

 they did in the midst of savages they were strictly 

 nocturnal and retired to the thickets before daylight. 

 Then in the thickets they would not stand and investi- 

 gate their disturbers as do ordinary buffs — they know 

 already by experience just what it is and have no 

 further curiosity — but get out at once on the slightest 

 disturbance. It was totally impossible to stalk them, 

 of course. The savage placed us at points of vantage 

 and tried driving them past us. Twice he succeeded, 

 but the thickets were so dense that aU we were treated 

 to were a few thrills as the beasts smashed and crashed 



