68 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



in the thick bush, where we lost all trace of 

 him. 



It was hopeless to pursue him any further, so 

 we made our way back to our horses, and led by 

 the guide, struck out for camp. By this time it 

 was getting late, and after going some distance we 

 began to fear that we had lost our way, as there 

 was no sign of camp anywhere. We therefore con- 

 sulted our guide as to where it was, and he cheer- 

 fully admitted that he did not know ! He said it 

 ought to have been where we now were, as by this 

 time he had brought us to the banks of a small 

 stream which he said was the Karusi. This was 

 most annoying and disconcerting, for we had no 

 desire to pass the night in the wilds without either 

 food or shelter, after having been on the march since 

 early morning. 



I felt pretty confident, however, that if we kept 

 on up-stream we would be almost certain to come 

 upon the camp sooner or later, so telling my friends 

 to follow me as fast as they could, I pushed on at a 

 sharp pace, and after a while was delighted to 

 hear the joyful sound of an axe chopping up wood 

 for the evening camp fire. Riding quickly back 

 I hallooed lustily to my friends that camp was in 

 sight, and it was not long before we were all seated 

 under the friendly shelter of a canvas awning, sipping 



