Obnoxious Vegetation. 29 



suspicious. I fired at one which dropped in its tracks and 

 then fired at another which also fell to the shot, but it 

 jumped up at once and ran off. The first one very soon 

 expired, so I started off to try to find the other. I put it 

 up once, and, judging by the way it ran, it did not seem to 

 be badly damaged. As we were all thirsty and rather tired, 

 we returned to the water hole, where I made some tea in a 

 small kettle I had brought out, and demolished some bread, 

 a tin of sardines, and three hard-boiled eggs. Then, after 

 a smoke, I left some of the men to cut up the dead harte- 

 beest, and went off with Kamwendo and another man to 

 try to find the wounded animal. Once again, about 4 p.m., 

 we disturbed it, and as it was going strong, and the sun was 

 sinking, we had to leave it and get back. I had spent a 

 good six hours on its tracks, so had done my best to find 

 it, for I loathe wounding and losing a beast. It was past 

 sundown when I got home, and by this time the nightjars 

 were hovering round in the open spaces after moths, and 

 the frogs in the Bua were croaking hard. Darkness soon 

 comes on there, and, if there is not a good moon, it is 

 uncomfortable being benighted in rough bush country ; and 

 many is the fall and hard bump I have received when 

 stumbling back to camp in the dark. Bare legs are 

 certainly best for daytime when one can see where he is 

 going, but at night a pair of putties or light gaiters would 

 be a comfort and save some painful stabs and scratches. 



There is a vile vegetable growth in this country which is 

 called chitaisi, and its pod is covered with numberless 

 fine hairs, which cause a most painful itching and rash. 

 On a wintry day, and when these pods are ripe and ready 

 to fall, the minute hairs get blown all over the place, and if 

 they get into clothes or blankets they prove a great 

 nuisance. When following elephants into thick cover the 

 hairs will drop on one's arms and neck, and I can assure the 

 reader that they are just like hundreds of sharp needles, with 

 some irritating acid put on them, being pressed into one's 

 flesh. The itch ceases in a few hours and leaves a rash like 

 nettle stings, but it does no further damage ; although if a 



