In Wildest Africa ^ 



My caravan was very much on the qtti vive when at 

 last, after a long march, we were able to strike camp. 

 We had been attacked by a band of Masai warriors 

 during the night and had driven them off It was only 

 natural, therefore, that we should exercise some caution. 

 But our fatigue overcame all anxiety as to another attack. 

 We had made a long forced march, and were worn out 

 with our exertions and our sufferings from thirst and the 

 heat. Some of the bearers, succumbing under the weight 

 of their burdens, had remained behind. We had started 

 on the previous morning, each of us provided as well as 

 was practicable with water, and had marched until dark, 

 passing the night waterless and pressing on at daybreak. 

 It was absolutely essential now to get to a watering-place, 

 so we put out all our efforts, just succeeding in reaching our 

 goal after nightfall. This march was the more exhausting 

 in that we had had only two hours' sleep before the fray 

 with the Masai. The bearers we had been obliged to 

 leave behind were afterwards brought into camp safely 

 by a relief party. 



On exploring our vicinity next morning we found that 

 our camp, which was to some degree safeguarded by a 

 thorn-fence — a so-called " boma " — adjoined several earlier 

 camps of native elephant-hunters, protected by strong 

 palisades : a thing that had often happened to us before. 

 These camps are to be recognised by the empty powder- 

 casks left about or by the erection somewhere near of 

 a fetich or charm to ward off evil, or something of the 

 kind. It is only the natives who use firearms that have 

 resort to such practices. So far as I know neither the 



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