THE OKAVANGO RIVER 51 



my camp. Gradually, too, I was getting stronger 

 and recovering from the effects of the fever. 



A native hunter named Tatello visited our camp 

 during my sickness, and volunteered to show me, 

 on my recovery, where lions were plentiful — a 

 somewhat unusual incident, as the inhabitants 

 of those districts generally did not share my en- 

 thusiasm for the particular game we were seeking. 

 However, I told Tatello that when I was strong 

 enough, and had got the stores which were ex- 

 pected from the Zambezi, I would be prepared to 

 go out on a hunt with him on the strict under- 

 standing that as far as he was concerned it was 

 to be a case of no lions, no pay. 



We were hearing lions quite frequently about 

 this time, and, in particular, two had passed my 

 camp one morning grunting in daylight, whilst 

 I was away in another direction. There were 

 also a fair number of that beautiful and graceful 

 buck, impala, in the neighbourhood, and I shot 

 several good stags. As we were then being visited 

 by crowds of natives, many of whom came to 

 trade with grain, pumpkins, etc., and held nothing 

 more acceptable than meat, I shot occasionally 

 an extra buck over and above what we needed 

 for the modest requirements of our own little 

 camp. 



These weeks of steadily returning strength and 

 the awaiting of expected stores passed very 

 pleasantly. Now and then I would drive my own 

 team of oxen for a load of wood, though Mafoota, 



