Oppressive Heat. 57 



strenuous exercise. If one actually sights the animals, and 

 for some reason cannot get a shot, the remembrance is 

 inclined to be tantalising. However, I had the consolation 

 of knowing that I had not wounded a splendid beast and 

 lost it, which is always the worst remembrance of all. 



It was late in the afternoon when I reached my tent, and 

 during the day's w r alk I had seen eland, kudu, and other 

 game, although I did not fire at any of them, not wishing 

 to frighten any elephants that might be within hearing. 



The sun is dreadfully hot in the months of September, 

 October, and November ; and the atmosphere is particularly 

 sultry and oppressive in the latter month, just before the 

 rains break. People at home occasionally experience this 

 oppressiveness just before a thunderstorm ; but it is very 

 much more intensified in Central Africa. 



It is usually hotter to sit in camp than tramp about in the 

 sun, as the exercise induces perspiration, and this makes the 

 body feel cooler. This may seem a paradoxical remark, 

 though it is true nevertheless. 



On the following day I was out of my camp bed as 

 early as usual, which was at first cockcrow, about half an 

 hour before sunrise. I was feeling slightly feverish with 

 the previous day's work, but it never does much good 

 to lie up, unless one is so bad that movement is impossible ; 

 and, besides, I have often noticed that there is nothing 

 so good as a stiff walk to get rid of fever. Kamwendo 

 suggested that we should go in a different direction, 

 to which I was quite agreeable, as I hoped that direction 

 might be easier country than I had been tramping through 

 the day before. 



I think Kamwendo was feeling a bit tired also, for he 

 certainly led me through much more open country, but we 

 found no fresh elephant spoor until about 1 1 a.m. ; by 

 which time we had made a long semicircle of quite 

 fifteen miles. Then Kamwendo, who was leading the way, 

 gaveagruntand pointed down, and there I saw the absolutely 

 fresh tracks of a fine bull elephant. He had not passed 

 more than twenty minutes before, and his droppings were 



