222 



ON SAFAEI 



(sometimes half a gale by afternoon), but always 

 following the sun towards west at dusk. 



Temperature at dawn, 56 degrees — one day as low as 

 50 degrees ; temperature at noon, 80 to 90 degrees 

 — once or twice as high as 98 degrees in our tents. 



On many evenings were magnificent displays of 

 electric flash-lights in the heavens, alwaj^s, however, at 

 one particular spot on any one evening. 



One night shortly after " lights-out," my tent caught 

 fire through my having carelessly knocked out some 

 live tobacco ash. Half-an-hour later, an as^Dhyxiating 

 " stythe " awoke me, and having relit the lamp, I was 



THE DACE {Leucisciis) OF ATHI. 



seeking the 



cartridge 



smouldering. 



cause thereof, when bang went a cordite 

 at my feet ; my khaki cartridge-bag was 

 and next moment flames leaped up the 

 canvas wall. I sang out for help, and meanwhile got 

 to work w^ith boots, sun-helmet, w^hatever came handy, 

 to stamp out the fire. The night-watch was smart 

 enough on the spot, bringing buckets of water, and 

 though amid repeated explosions of cartridges I had 

 already extinguished the flames, the men promptly 

 deluged my bed and belongings ! Considerable force is 

 developed by the explosion of a cordite cartridge, even 

 when unconfined in a barrel, for several of the remain- 

 ing cartridges were bulged and twisted. The bullets, 

 however, of those that had gone off", lay about harm- 

 lessly. Note, that there were no ticks or other vermin 

 in my tent after that accident ! 



