CHAPTER III 



THE STARTING OF THE GREAT TREK 



My necessaries are embark'd 



Hamlet 



Occasion smiles upon a second leave 



Hamlet 



At three o'clock in the morning we joined our caravan, 

 all in readiness, in the Square. It was still dark, but 

 we could see the outline of the waiting camels loaded 

 up like pantechnicon vans, and our ponies saddled in 

 expectation of our coming. The Opposition, who had 

 mapped out a different route, beginning by skirting 

 the borders of the now barred reserve for game in the 

 Hargaisa, got up to see us start and wish us " Good 

 hunting." What our men thought of us and the ex- 

 pedition generally I cannot conjecture. Outwardly at 

 least they gave no sign of astonishment. Clarence 

 gave the word to march, and we set out, leaving 

 Berbera behind us, and very glad we were to see the 

 suburbs a thing of the past. The flies and the sand 

 storms there are most hard to bear, and a little longer 

 sojourn would have seen both of us in bad tempers. 



We made up our minds from the first to have tents 

 pitched every night under any circumstances, and 

 never do any of that sleeping on the ground business 

 which seems to be an indispensable part of the fun of 



