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■ FIRS 



FIRST EXPEDITION TO EAST AFRICA 85 



some mushrooms, which appeared to be edible, 

 but refrained from eating them. I felt that I 

 had sufficient strength, even without food, to 

 reach Nakuro, provided that I kept well, and an 

 attack of indisposition might have been fatal. 



At 6 p.m. we were still in thick bush, and it 

 was clear that we had no chance of reacliing 

 Nakuro that night. We therefore collected some 

 firewood and prepared for another night on the 

 ground. I had no matches, not being a smoker, 

 but Johnny fortunately had a few ; and with 

 some difficulty, as the wood was very damp, we 

 managed to Ught a fire. I dried my damp clothes 

 as well as I could at the fire, drank the last of 

 my lime-juice and water, about half a tumblerful, 

 and lay down. Johnny had some corn-cobs, and 

 the Kikuyu had some dried meat, which they 

 had carried along with them. They cut the meat 

 into strips and offered me some, but I decHned 

 with thanks. I doubt if I could have eaten any 

 of it, if I had fasted for a week. 



The night was dry, and the three negroes, who 

 were evidently very tired, slept soundly. It 

 devolved upon me to get up at intervals and 

 attend to the fire, as the negroes slept Hke logs. 

 It was very cold after the rain, but I warmed 

 each side of my body in turn. I had also some 

 sleep, and the night was a great improvement 

 on the preceding one. 



At the first streak of dawn I roused the negroes, 

 and we started full of hope for Nakuro. The 

 mule got loose during the night and strayed for 

 some distance, but we found her in the morning. 

 For three full hours we travelled through thick 



