248 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



with mimosas clustering in them, sundered the foot-hills, 

 and wound until they joined into what looked like rivers; 

 the thick grass grew waist high. It looked like a well- 

 watered country; but it was of porous, volcanic nature, and 

 the soil was a sieve. After nightfall we came to where we 

 hoped to find water; but there was not a drop in the dried 

 pools; and we had to make a waterless camp. A drizzling 

 rain had set in, enough to wet everything, but not enough 

 to give any water for drinking. It was eight o'clock before 

 the last of the weary, thirsty burden-carriers stumbled 

 through the black, bowlder-strewn ravine on whose farther 

 side we were camped, and threw down his load among his 

 fellows, who were already clustered around the little fires 

 they had started in the tall grass. We slept as we were, and 

 comfortably enough; indeed, there was no hardship for 

 us white men, with our heavy overcoats, and our food and 

 water which we shared with our personal attendants; 

 but I was uneasy for the porters, as there was another long 

 and exhausting day's march ahead. Before sunrise we 

 started; and four hours later, in the bottom of a deep 

 ravine, Cuninghame found a pool of green water in a 

 scooped-out cavity in the rock. It was a pleasant sight 

 to see the thirsty porters drink. Then they sat down, built 

 fires, and boiled their food; and went on in good heart. 



Two or three times we crossed singularly beautiful 

 ravines, the trail winding through narrow clefts that were 

 almost tunnels, and along the brinks of sheer cliffs, while 

 the green mat of trees and vines was spangled with many 

 colored flowers. Then we came to barren ridges and bare, 

 dusty plains; and at nightfall pitched camp near the shores 

 of Lake Naivasha. It is a lovely sheet of water, surrounded 

 by hills and mountains, the shores broken by rocky prom- 

 ontories, and indented by papyrus-fringed bays. Next morn- 

 ing we shifted camp four miles to a place on the farm, 

 and near the house, of the Messrs. Attenborough, settlers 

 on the shores of the lake, who treated us with the most 

 generous courtesy and hospitality as, indeed, did all the 



