WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



my photographs — interesting things happened there, 

 the sort of things one does not forget. 



The day on which we struck the Thika River was 

 intensely hot, oppressive, stifling ; before long heavy 

 clouds began to roll up, sure signs of a coming thunder- 

 storm. 



We stopped for lunch on the banks of a spruit, 

 and as soon as our boys had finished their meal 

 they started a war-dance, one of those extraordinary 

 exhibitions which, beginning quietly enough, often, 

 without any sort of premeditation, end up in a veritable 

 outburst of hysteria. On this occasion a couple of 

 boys had spears, whilst ten more used sticks in default 

 of actual weapons. Whether the spearmen felt that 

 they were doing the real thing I do not know, but 

 they finished by going apparently mad and having 

 to be held down by their companions. I shall never 

 forget the look of disgust on the face of my Masai 

 guard as he watched the proceedings. I do not know 

 to this day whether or no it was faked in order to " pull 

 his leg." At times the contempt of one savage for 

 another is quite a delightful thing. 



The thunder-storm proved to be an unusually 

 severe one, and the w^hole party was drenched to the 

 skin in a very few minutes. We were still wet through 

 and distinctly weary when we reached the banks of 

 a small stream, where we decided to camp for the 

 night. It was then about five o'clock, consequently 



no 



