In Wildest Africa ^ 



that traversing Nyika is as safe as mountain-climbing 

 under the guidance of skilled mountaineers. You get to 

 feel that you cannot lose your way or get into difficulties 

 about water. One reflection, however, should never be 

 quite absent from your mind — that at any moment these 

 •guides of yours may abandon you. That misfortune has 

 never happened to me, and it is not likely to happen when 

 the natives are properly handled. Moreover, your friend- 

 ship with them can sometimes be strengthened by the 

 establishment of bonds of brotherhood. A time-honoured 

 practice of this kind, held sacred by the natives, can be 

 of the greatest benefit. I am strongly In favour of the 

 observance of these praiseworthy native customs, and 

 have always been most ready to go through with the 

 ceremonies Involved. 



I endeavour to win the goodwill of my guides by 

 keeping to the pace they set — an easy matter for me. 

 In every other way also I take pains to fall In with the 

 ways and habits of the Wandorobo, so as to attenuate 

 that feeling of antagonism which my uncivilised friends 

 necessarily harbour towards the European. I owe it to 

 this, perhaps, that they did their utmost to find the 

 elephant-tracks for me. 



For hour after hour we continue our march. In and 

 out, over velt and brushwood, coming every few hours 

 to a watering-place, and meeting In the hollow of one 

 valley an exceptionally large herd of oryx antelopes. 

 Under cover of the brushwood, and favoured by the wind, 

 I succeed In getting quite near this herd and thus in 

 studying their movements close at hand. 



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