8 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



himself, touching the ground with his forehead re- 

 peatedly. These prayers occupied some time ; and as 

 I believe the followers of the Prophet are supposed to 

 pray either five or seven times every day, the Moham- 

 medan religion would have its disadvantages fora busy 

 western European. Shortly after 2 P. M., we again got 

 under way, and travelled over the heated plain at a 

 sharp walk until half-past four, when we made a short 

 halt at a village, where I purchased a few grapes, which, 

 although small, were of delicious flavour, and most 

 grateful after our hot and dusty ride. The heat on 

 the bare, treeless plain had been really terrific, and I 

 do not think I have ever experienced anything in the 

 interior of Africa to beat it. In the evening we did 

 two hours more at a slow pace, reaching the town of 

 Adzibaden at 6.30, just at dusk, thus having done about 

 ten hours' actual travelling, and covered about thirty- 

 three miles of ground. The aneroid showed that we 

 were now three thousand feet above sea level, and nine- 

 teen hundred feet higher than Denizli. The country 

 through which we had passed struck me as far more arid 

 and parched looking than any part of Matabeleland or 

 Mashonaland that I am acquainted with, and the heat 

 was certainly very great at the time of my visit. The 

 people are very dark in complexion, being more swarthy 

 than the Malays of Cape Town. Many of them, however, 

 have a ruddiness of cheek which shows through the 

 deep sunburn. Most of them have good features, whilst 

 brown hair and light eyes are common amongst them. 



