THE FIRST GAME CAMP 



improved until we had overcome the difficulties 

 peculiar to this new country and were doing as well 

 as we could do anywhere. 



Now, at the end of a hard day through scrub, over 

 rolling bold hills, and down a scrub brush slope, we 

 had reached the banks of the Guaso Nyero. 



At this point, above the junction of its principal 

 tributary rivers, it was a stream about sixty or sev- 

 enty feet wide, flowing swift between high banks. A 

 few trees marked its course, but nothing like a jungle. 

 The ford was in swift water just above a deep still 

 pool suspected of crocodiles. We found the water 

 about waist deep, stretched a rope across, and for- 

 cibly persuaded our eager boys that one at a time 

 was about what the situation required. On the 

 other side we made camp on an open flat. Having 

 marched so far continuously, we resolved to settle 

 down for a while. The men had been without suf- 

 ficient meat; and we desired very much to look over 

 the country closely, and to collect a few heads as 

 trophies. 



Perhaps a word might not come amiss as to the 

 killing of game. The case is here quite different 

 from the condition of afl'airs at home. Here animal 

 life is most extraordinarily abundant; it furnishes the 

 main food supply to the traveller; and at present is 

 probablj^ incr^^sing slightly, certainly holding iti§ 



63 



