DOWN THE NILE; THE GIANT ELAND 507 



covered the monotonous landscape, although we could 

 generally find some fairly leafy tree near which to pitch 

 the tents. The heat was great; more than once the ther- 

 mometer at noon rose to 112 in the shade not real shade, 

 however, but in a stifling tent, or beneath a tree the foliage 

 of which let through at least a third of the sun-rays. The 

 fiery heat of the ground so burnt and crippled the feet of 

 the porters that we had to start each day's march very 

 early. 



At quarter of three in the morning the whistle blew; 

 we dressed and breakfasted while the tents were taken 

 down and the loads adjusted. Then off we strode, through 

 the hot starlit night, our backs to the Southern Cross 

 and our faces toward the Great Bear; for we were march- 

 ing northward and homeward. The drum throbbed and 

 muttered as we walked, on and on, along the dim trail. 

 At last the stars began to pale, the gray east changed to 

 opal and amber and amethyst, the red splendor of the 

 sunrise flooded the world, and to the heat of the night 

 succeeded the more merciless heat of the day. Higher and 

 higher rose the sun. The sweat streamed down our faces, 

 and the bodies of the black men glistened like oiled iron. 

 We might halt early in the forenoon, or we might have 

 to march until noon, according to the distance from water- 

 hole to waterhole. 



Occasionally in the afternoons, and once when we 

 halted for a day to rest the porters, Kermit and I would 

 kill buck for the table hartebeest, reedbuck, and oribi. 

 I also killed a big red ground monkey, with baboon-like 

 habits; we had first seen the species on the Uasin Gishu, 

 and had tried in vain to get it, for it was wary, never sought 

 safety in trees, and showed both speed and endurance in 

 running. Kermit killed a bull and a cow roan antelope. 

 These so-called horse antelope are fine beasts, light roan in 

 color, with high withers, rather short curved horns, huge 

 ears, and bold face markings. Usually we found them 

 shy, but occasionally very tame. They are the most trucu- 



