SEARCH FOR FALLS ON MAO KABI 67 



such a symbol at the outset must needs be of good 

 augury, though, had we never seen the Falls, these 

 rapids in their beauty and interest of position would 

 have rewarded a far more arduous journey. 



We renewed our search the next day, when our 

 party was sadly diminished, for Mrs Talbot had 

 strained her leg in the scramble, and M. Bertaut 

 was, unfortunately, obliged to return to Lere, 



Our plan was to follow a more distant tributary 

 than that which we had just explored till it joined 

 the Mao Kabi, and then walk right up to the St 

 Andrew's cross, so as to put beyond doubt whether 

 it was by a series of rapids, or by a big fall, that 

 the water reached the lower level. 



We set out very early, for we knew that our day 

 would be a long one, and that we should be wise to 

 use every minute of daylight before the sun attained 

 its full power. We had hardly reached the point 

 where our search was to begin when we heard hoarse 

 grunts, first from one side of 'he dry stream then 

 from the other. Instinctively we crouched and waited, 

 and presently saw a baboon race by on all fours. In 

 a second Mr Talbot gave chase, and I sank down to 

 await his return, wondering what temptation the 

 Djinn of the Falls had prepared for a woman who 

 didn't shoot. It was evident that baboon had been 

 there in large numbers, for the big parasites that 

 feed off them were crawling over the ground, and it 

 required unceasing watchfulness to keep free of them. 



The sun recalled us to the business in hand, and 

 thenceforward Mr Talbot steadily resisted temptation 

 to hunt, though it assailed him from every quarter. 

 We made our way down the river-bed, through scenery 



