IN THE JUNGLE 



the eye. Even after they had apparently disap- 

 peared, I could catch an occasional flash of white in 

 the sun. 



Now the old gentleman came whooping around 

 with long, undignified bounds to fall on his face and 

 seize my foot in an excess of gratitude. He rose and 

 capered about, he rushed out and gathered in the 

 slain one by one and laid them in a pile at my feet. 

 Then he danced a jig-step around them and reviled 

 them, and fell on his face once more, repeating the 

 word ''Bwana! bwana! bwana!" over and over — 

 *' Master! master! master!" We returned to camp 

 together, the old gentleman carrying the birds, and 

 capering about like a small boy, pouring forth a flood 

 of his sort of Swahili, of which I could understand 

 only a word here and there. Memba Sasa, very 

 dignified and scornful of such performances, met us 

 halfway and took my gun. He seemed to be able 

 to understand the old fellow's brand of Swahili, and 

 said it over again in a brand I could understand. 

 From it I gathered that I was called a marvellously 

 great sultan, a protector of the poor, and other 

 Arabian Nights titles. 



The birds proved to be white egrets. Now at 

 home I am strongly against the killing of these 

 creatures, and have so expressed myself on many oc- 

 casions. But, looking from the beautiful white plu- 



269 



