394 AFRICA SPEAKS 



We started the day's work by digging the trucks 

 from the mudholes, then alternated our time between 

 building corduroy roads over morasses and pulling 

 through the sandy stretches between. This bhstering 

 day of struggle netted us fifty-eight miles forward, 

 bringing us to the native village opposite Bousso be- 

 fore nightfgdl. 



Game had been scarce for a long time, and my four 

 black boys were constantly complaining about the 

 food, saying they wanted meat and posho, although 

 they knew that posho was unobtainable in this coun- 

 try. They were homesick and became both lazy and 

 sulky. This trek was no picnic; in fact, quite a dif- 

 ferent sort of safari than one into the game fields of 

 East Africa, where work is comparatively easy and 

 game plentiful. 



While camp was being made, Jones and I sallied 

 forth to look for much-needed meat, not only to silence 

 the grumbhngs of the boys, but to satisfy our own 

 longing for a change of diet. In a little valley near 

 the village we discovered a few small herds of ante- 

 lope, and, after a long, laborious stalk, each secured 

 a buck. There was joy and feasting in camp that 

 evening. 



In the middle of the night I was awakened by an 

 unusual noise, and walking to the trucks, I turned on 

 a spothght to investigate. Its beam disclosed three 

 Hong standing within twenty feet of our beds! There 

 were no firearms on the trucks and I did not feel like 

 returning toward the hons in order to reach the rifle 

 leaning against my cot. Neither did I think it wise 

 to disturb my sleeping companions, knowing that 

 hons are hable to attack a suddenly moving object. 



