322 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



From Noumbah we marched to Reti, where 

 there was now, for some reason or other, but a 

 small quantity of muddy liquid in the waterhole. 

 On the way I halted the caravan for half an 

 hour in order to give a rhino which stood in our 

 way a chance to clear off, but eventually I had to 

 shoot it to ensure the safety of the safari as it 

 passed. I was afraid to drink the water at Reti 

 lest it should bring back my illness, but it is not 

 altogether bad when not too freely mixed with mud. 

 For Mrs. B.'s sake I was anxious to avoid Lersamis 

 on the way back, as I did not wish her to go 

 through the ordeal of returning to the scene of the 

 tragedy so soon after the event. Neither was it 

 necessary to retrace our steps that way, for I was 

 informed that an encampment of Rendile and a 

 water supply might be found at some little distance 

 to the west of Lersamis, at the foot of the great 

 mountain of Serramba, which rises abruptly out of 

 the plain. 



Accordingly I headed the safari south-westward 

 for this mountain, and as the Kaisoot Desert 

 stretched between, it had to be faced once more. 

 It took us two days to cross it, and in my weak 

 state I found the march an exceedingly trying and 

 exhausting one. The vertical rays of a tropical 

 sun beat down on us fiercely, and no shade was to 

 be obtained anywhere. The water which we had 



