Kazembe to Mpika 



but though the spoor was followed some way, the 

 beast never appeared. 



There were reported to be quite a number of 

 rhinoceros in the foothills, and we saw spoor on several 

 occasions, but never an animal. Local hunters told 

 us that these Rhodesian rhinoceros had small horns 

 and were so shy that two or three hours ' tracking was 

 as a rule necessary to get up with them. This is 

 very different to British East Africa, where, in the 

 rhinoceros districts, the sight of an unwieldly black 

 form scratching its back under a thorn tree and the 

 sound of his steam-engine-like whistle are a common 

 occurrence. As only two are allowed to be killed, 

 their constant presence is not only bad for stalking 

 other game, but is also apt to prove trying to the 

 nerves. 



Once away from the river banks we got into the 

 usual dry bush, and the morning became extremely 

 hot. Whilst looking about for a shady place for 

 breakfast a swarm of small black midge flies attacked 

 us, and we anticipated a bad time, but somehow 

 managed to get quit of them. 



On this march the tsetse-fly {glossina morsitans) 

 was very troublesome. We had been plagued with 

 it all through the valley, but to-day the tsetse seemed 

 unusually aggressive, so that my fly whisk had to be 

 continually moving ; and if I happened to close my 

 eyes, a sharp prick woke me up at once. The 

 irritation caused by the bite of this insect is con- 

 siderable, and heats the blood, but fortunately it is not 

 otherwise harmful to human beings. To domestic 

 animals, however — the goat alone appears immune — 



153 



