FASCICULA 283 



" unseen world," and therein I saw about twelve inches 

 of visible python, a foot underground. The extremities 

 extended for yards in both directions. I borrowed the 

 " boy's " assegai, jabbed it hard through the beast's body 

 and deep into the soil beneath — then turned and fled. 

 For one moment, a python's head appeared at another 

 outlet, then the assegai began to writhe and squirm 

 before finally disappearing for ever ! 



Here, in the Transvaal, were also big monitors, or 

 iguanas, arboreal and terrestrial, some running to 4 and 

 5 ft. in length — quite harmless, it is true ; yet no one 

 can regard them as congenial companions. We saw no 

 sign of these in East Africa. 



The latter, moreover, enjoys a happy immunity even 

 from the major noxious insects — the minor, admittedly, 

 are bad enouo;h. I cannot call to mind meetino; with a 

 dozen scorpions in East Africa,^ whereas in the South, 

 each camping-ground had to be laboriously cleared of 

 stones and other shelter — and even then scorpions found 

 refuge under one's bath ! Only once, however, was I 

 stung, and that through the misplaced habit (born of 

 civilisation) of washing every morning. In order to 

 find my sponge-bag in the dark, I used to hang it on 

 a convenient tree, and this particular morning the 

 venomous beast was inside it ! The pain is severe for 

 twelve hours, and continues in modified degree for 

 double that period. 



lY. The Safari 



The equipment of a safari — that is, the outfitting of 

 an expedition for, say, three or four months up-country — 

 demands much consideration, forethought and organisa- 

 tion. Both of the first two essentials it is right to say 

 are fairly fulfilled by the efficient arrangements of the 

 Mombasa and Nairobi shootino;-ao:ents. The third 

 largely depends on the " Neapara " or headman. 



1 Scorpions are, nevertheles?, numerous enough in sandy regions, 

 such as those of Kjtinps and northward therefrom. 



