A FORAGING EXPEDITION. 211 



and success was now really beginning to tell 

 on us, as indeed a life sustained on currants 

 and hope very well might ; and on Saturday 

 morning, as Platon had not re-appeared, we 

 determined to send out Deto, the cook, on a 

 foraging expedition. 



Simon had an idea that there was some- 

 where on the Radcha side of the hills a herd 

 of goats feeding, which had left Gebi as soon 

 as the shepherds had heard that there would 

 be a chance of pasturing their beasts on the 

 slopes of Lapiir, under the protection of the 

 redoubted Simon and the rifles of the Enoiish- 

 men with him. 



It was past the hour of dusk that evening, 

 and we had been forced to sup as usual on 

 maize gruel, when the sight of Deto and the 

 old mare toiling down the hillside roused 

 fresh hopes and appetites within us. On his 

 saddle he had a small black sheep, still alive, 

 bound in such brutal fashion that the cords 



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