STROLL IN THE JUNGLE. 83 



led over another victory. We had done about two 

 miles in three hours. It was truly heartbreaking ! 



We halted about two hours, during which I took a 

 long walk, accompanied by Reid, up the west bank, 

 to ascertain if there was any possibility of tracking the 

 boat {i.e., towing her by a rope). This, however, turned 

 out to be impracticable, owing to the high reeds with 

 which the banks of the river were clad. When the wind 

 at length abated we pulled away again. We had been 

 getting along slowly for some time, when on round- 

 ing a sharp turn in the river, we made a fair wind of 

 it, and setting sail, soon walked over a couple of miles. 

 Another turn, however, brought us into the teeth of 

 the wind again, and after spending a couple of hours 

 pulling, or rather pretending to pull, half a mile, we 

 anchored under the bank for the night. As far as my 

 feelings went, thorough disgust was the most predomi- 

 nant sensation I experienced. 



I now determined to seek at all events temporary 

 peace of mind in the jungle, and taking as usual Mo- 

 loka and the " Rigby pets," went for a stroll. The 

 surrounding country was flat, patches of wood were scat- 

 tered here and there, and quantities of long grass were 

 growing over the open plains. During my walk several 

 small river beds were crossed, but they were dry. Some 

 of them must be considerable streams in the rainy sea- 

 son, and during that period doubtless carry large sup- 

 plies of water from the adjacent mountains to the Shire. 



I had not wandered more than half a mile from the 

 boat when I saw three kinds of antelope together in 

 the centre of a bit of open ground. They were water- 

 buck (kobus ellipsyprymnus), hartebeest (alcephalus 



g2 



