286 NIGHT OF REJOICING. 



to dry on regular railings they had erected round 

 several fires. I must say the odour was not at all 

 appreciated by me. 



Under a tree close to camp sat six of Moloka's wives, 

 each having brought a pot of pombe, and a few little 

 dainties for her husband, who was soon seated amongst 

 them. Chinsoro having been sent with an invitation 

 to me to join the party, I was soon squatted down be- 

 tween two of the ladies, who had orders to " keep 

 my glass full." It was a night of rejoicing, and we 

 kept it going till a late hour, when the party broke up, 

 and I am happy to say every one returned soberly and 

 orderly to his rustic couch. 



Being anxious to have one more look round for 

 elephants before leaving these jungles, I started with 

 my usual companions at daylight the next morning, 

 and walked a long way up the river. Up to nine a.m. 

 we saw no spoor, and as Moloka advised that we should 

 shift our camp at once to where we had originally in- 

 tended going when we left Chibisa, we turned back. 

 On the way we unexpectedly saw a fine hartebeest 

 feeding by itself. A careful stalk brought me to 

 within sixty yards of it, and a single shot from Rigby 

 10 threw it where it stood. 



Though I had only seen this one animal, the 

 remainder of a herd, numbering from ten to fif- 

 teen, jumped from some thick underwood close by, 

 where they had been lying, the moment I fired, and I 

 luckily rolled over a second as they bolted when dis- 

 turbed by my first shot. A second gun was quickly 

 placed in my hand by Moloka, and I took a shot at 



