SAD NEWS FROM RANFURLY. 269 



performance was given by Vivian and Albert with 

 the galvanic battery, with a success as great as on the 

 previous occasion. 



April 3. Vivian again on the track of the elephant, 

 aided by Essafi. A new hunter volunteer from our 

 Arab party, anxious to earn a few dollars, declared with 

 great confidence that he could show me some lions, and 

 to my cost I gave him a chance, for with the activity 

 almost of a monkey he hunted along the high and low 

 ground bordering the river here, following now and 

 again the fresh tracks of lions until midday, when he 

 had quite tired me out, and I was obliged to tell him 

 that we must return home. On arriving there I found 

 a note from Ranfurly, asking me to come to Coke's 

 camp to see him, as he was lying ill there with dysen- 

 tery. It did not take long getting ready to start on so 

 important a mission, and having filled my haversack 

 with sundry useful things, I mounted my horse and 

 joined the bearer of this sad message, the young soldier 

 Abdullah, who was accompanied by an Arab mounted 

 like himself on a camel. Keeping on the high flat land 

 away from the river, we were able to ride very rapidly, a 

 proceeding rendered necessary by the lateness of the day, 

 but the pace after three hours began to tell on my 

 back, for whilst their camels were apparently trotting 

 along leisurely my unfortunate horse had frequently to 

 gallop to keep up with them. Thus for four hours we con- 



