CHAPTER XIII 



A DAY ON THE N'l)UNGU ESCARPMENT 



IMMEDIATELY after breakfast camp was struck, 

 and accompanied by a few of the Wa Kamba, we 

 started off for the N'dungu Escarpment a frown- 

 ing ridge which runs for a great distance parallel to 

 the Sabaki, some three or four miles from its 

 northern bank. We had not gone very far before I 

 caught sight of a fine water-buck and successfully 

 bowled him over a good omen for the day, which 

 put us all in excellent spirits. Mabruki cut off 

 several strips of the tough meat and impaled them 

 on a sharp stick to dry in the sun as he went along. 

 I warned him that he had better be careful that a 

 lion did not scent the meat, as if it did it would be 

 sure to follow up and kill him. Of course I did not 

 mean this seriously ; but Mabruki was a great 

 glutton, and by no means courageous, so I wanted 

 to frighten him. 



As we trudged along towards the hill, I heard a 



