224 LARGE GAME. CHAP. v. 



so soft and spongy that we sank to the ankles at every 

 step, a sure sign, in such a land, of certain fever and 

 probable death to any one rash or ignorant enough to 

 form his camp there. 



Disregarding, therefore, the grumbling of the men, I 

 kept on, until my perseverance was at length rewarded 

 by finding a spot seemingly created for the express pur- 

 pose for which I sought it. Rising out of the river- 

 bottom was a small level ridge of some three hundred 

 yards long, descending abruptly by perpendicular banks 

 into the dry water-course which ran along its other side. 

 On this ridge, among other smaller ones, and within a 

 few yards of each other, were two immense trees, one a 

 wild fig, the other a flat-topped mimosa. 



I saw at a glance that they would answer capitally, 

 the former for the general camp, the other for myself and 

 my own attendants ; while on examining more closely I 

 saw that there were several old native paths leading 

 down to the river ; and in descending to drink I found 

 that it either was or had been a ford, as the paths were 

 continued on the opposite bank, though they did not 

 seem to have been in use for a considerable time. Con- 

 cluding, therefore, that the water during the rains had 

 altered the bottom, as I knew it often did, and had 

 rendered it impassable, I thought no more of the matter, 

 arid, returning, ordered the men to off load and to make 

 a camp, which, after a very considerable period spent in 

 solacing themselves with the inevitable snuff, they pro- 

 ceeded to do. 



There were, as I have said, some thirty hands, ten of 

 whom were small boys, mat-bearers, as indeed many of 



