28 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



expectation kept us happy. I always had a '303 

 in readiness ; and Mrs Talbot carried a revolver, 

 for her wrists were nat strong enough for a rifle. 

 She laid great store by this weapon, which was to 

 be used should lion appear, and carried a small tin 

 box of ammunition with it. During our walk she 

 had cause to open this, and found nothing but 

 peppermints inside ! The two boxes were identical, 

 and had been interchanged. 



To avoid the marsh ground below we generally 

 made our way to the tops of the peaked ironstone 

 hills, and from their eminence gazed down on the 

 prairie lands beneath us. The landscape was desolate, 

 for hiofh brown o^rass covered the bare rocks and 

 stunted trees, and even blotted out the hamlets that 

 nestled in tiny clearings in its midst. The hills, 

 though low, were mountainous, and by their sharp 

 outlines and jagged peaks gave the impression of 

 much greater height than their 300-500 feet war- 

 ranted. This, together with the delightful fact that 

 the peak one has ascended looks just as high as its 

 neighbours, is characteristic of mountains in this part 

 of Africa. 



The sport was poor, but Mr Talbot shot a good 

 many birds, though but two of the number reached 

 home in safety. In Southern Nigeria his sister-in- 

 law had helped him to skin them, and it was only 

 too obvious to me that I ought to take her place. 

 I had determined not to be squeamish about any- 

 thing, so I volunteered in hardy accents, and sat 

 down to my task with set teeth, resolved not to 

 flinch. The result was that my initial cut was far 

 too deep, and Mr Talbot implored me to trust more 



