42 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



a gully between this cutting and Tsavo Station. 

 This would have taken too long to erect when rail- 

 head was at the place, so a diversion had been made 

 round it, the temporary track leading down almost 

 to the bed of the nullah and up again on the further 

 side. When the foundations and abutments were 

 ready, the gully was spanned by an iron girder, the 

 slopes leading up to it banked up on either side, and 

 the permanent way laid on an easy grade. 



Then, also, a water supply had to be established ; 

 and this meant some very pleasant work for me in 

 taking levels up the banks of the river under the 

 cool shade of the palms. While doing this, I often 

 took my camp-kit with me, and a luncheon served 

 in the wilds, with occasionally a friend to share it 

 when a friend was available was delightful. On 

 one occasion in particular, I went a long way up the 

 river and was accompanied by a young member of 

 my staff. The day had been exceedingly hot and 

 we were both correspondingly tired when our work 

 was finished, so my companion suggested that we 

 should build a raft and float down-stream home. I 

 was rather doubtful of the feasibility of the scheme, 

 but nevertheless he decided to give it a trial. Set- 

 ting to work with our axes, we soon had a raft built, 

 lashing the poles together with the fibre which grows 

 in abundance all over the district. When it was 

 finished, we pushed it out of the little backwater 



