ix OUR CAMP BY THE THIKA RIVER 109 



In this way I went on and on, always enticed 

 further away by the prospect of seeing something 

 unknown and something new from the top of each 

 hillock. All at once I discovered that it was 

 growing late, and I was far away from camp and not 

 very certain of the position of the ford. I therefore 

 turned at once and rode back with all possible 

 speed, making for what I thought was the crossing. 



On reaching the river, however, I found myself 

 in the midst of high reeds and rushes which covered 

 not only my pony but myself as I rode along. Up 

 and down the river bank I cantered, full of anxiety 

 to find the ford before complete darkness set in, but 

 I could find no trace of it anywhere. I had but a 

 few cartridges left with me, and now and again I 

 grudgingly fired one in the hope that my companions 

 might hear it from the camp somewhere on the other 

 side of the stream. It was a very awkward position 

 to be placed in, especially as I was ravenously hungry, 

 neither myself nor my pony having had any food 

 since early morning. The place, too, was infested 

 with lions, leopards, and rhino, while the river was 

 alive with crocodiles, so much so that I dared not 

 cross it at any point except the ford, which I found 

 it quite impossible to locate. I could not tell 

 whether I was five miles above it or five miles 

 below it, as the trees and general aspect of the 

 country looked much the same all along, and there 



