f 



ACROSS THE THIRST 



proper place, I stood up suddenly, my rifle at ready. 

 So dense was the cover and so still the air that I 

 had actually crawled right into the middle of the 

 band! While we were cutting up the meat the 

 sun broke through strongly. 



Therefore the wagon started on up the Mau at 

 six o'clock. Twelve hours later we followed. The 

 fine drizzle had set in again. We were very glad 

 the wagon had taken advantage of the brief dry 

 time. 



From the top of the sheer rise we looked back for 

 the last time over the wonderful panorama of the 

 Rift Valley. Before us were wide rounded hills 

 covered with a scattered small growth that in general 

 appearance resembled scrub oak. It sloped away 

 gently until it was lost in mists. Later, when these 

 cleared, we saw distant blue mountains across a 

 tremendous shallow basin. We were nearly on a 

 level with the summit of Suswa itself, nor did we 

 again drop much below that altitude. After five 

 or six miles we overtook the wagon outspanned. 

 The projected all-night journey had again been frus- 

 trated by the lions. These beasts had proved so 

 bold and menacing that finally the team had been 

 forced to stop in sheer self-defence. However, the 

 day was cool and overcast, so nothing was lost. 



After topping the Mau we saw a few gazelle, 

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