252 THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY 



eight days. We were rather dismayed at that, but 

 there seemed no alternative but to wait, for all the 

 country north is full of sleeping sickness. In the mean- 

 time we had a shauri with Bwana Askari, a capable 

 German of the lower class, with Kolb and Dill whiskers. 

 He spoke no English and we no German, so all our 

 negotiations went on in Swahili. 



It seems that the askari who met us at Natron re- 

 ported that we had killed a giraffe, and as that is il- 

 legal in Germany without a '^ greater Hcense," we were 

 to be arrested. The giraffe in question had been 

 killed on the British side, and the askari should have 

 known that, for previous to meeting him we had done 

 no hunting on the German side. We explained this, 

 and Bwana Askari agreed that the nigger had been 

 officious, but took from us a deposit of Rs 300. We get 

 this back later when the accusation is officially quashed. 



Spent part of the afternoon writing to the Governor, 

 the Provincial Commissioner, and the Customs, setting 

 this matter right. At an Indian dukka bought a tin of 

 jam, a bottle of lime juice, and some chocolate. For 

 some time we have had only oatmeal, rice, tea, coffee, 

 and sugar, and this purchase was intended to repre- 

 sent luxury. 



A torrential downpour lasting an hour drove us in 

 at three o'clock, and another lasted nearly all night. 

 About half our men are down with fever, and Cuning- 

 hame has a slight attack. 



