ii2 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



short time he had guided me to the ford, 

 which was not so far away after all. It was 

 by this time growing very dark, but I safely 

 negotiated the somewhat dangerous passage 

 and soon afterwards rejoined my friends by a 

 cheery camp fire. They were beginning to 

 get anxious 1 about me and were just about 

 to send up some rockets as a guide, when 

 I happily appeared amongst them. It can 

 well be imagined how pleased I was to get 

 back to camp so unexpectedly, and how much 

 I enjoyed my dinner and comfortable bed that 

 night. 



I was still with these same companions, but in a 

 different part of the country, when one day I had 

 an unusual piece of good luck. 



I had decided to see the camp all cleared out and 

 follow on an hour or so after the others had marched 

 off. I therefore let the whole safari get well out of 

 sight, and having with me only my gun-bearer, I set 

 off a little to the right of the path taken by the 

 caravan. We had gone but a short distance when 

 I spied a silver jackal, which I successfully bowled 

 over. Soon afterwards I came across a Grant's 

 gazelle with a very good head, which was also 

 added to the bag. After this I observed something 

 of a whitish colour standing under the shade of a 

 tree, and, on stalking it, found that it was a zebra. 



