TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 193 



progress we must, as time was of the utmost conse- 

 quence. I had a sort of hammock rigged up, made 

 from a camel mat, with a shelter over it ; and she was 

 carried along in it that evening for some miles. 

 During the night hours the bigness of the job we had 

 taken on began to appal me. I wished myself back in 

 the woodlands of Galadi. But it is not of much use 

 in purgatory to sigh for heaven ! 



Next dawn we could do no marching at all, and I 

 was forced to use an unlimited amount of the precious 

 water to keep wet the handkerchief on Cecily's burn- 

 ing head, occasionally pouring some over her lavishly 

 and in regardless-of-consequence fashion. The heat in 

 the tent, as out, was unspeakable ; and I spent most 

 of the hours of that dreadful day fanning my cousin, 

 who was really in parlous state. Clarence told me 

 late on in the afternoon we must push on, whatever 

 happened, as the water was very low indeed. I gave 

 the word, and we marched, Cecily carried as before. 

 We heard a lion roaring, but did not see anything, and 

 it was not very likely we should. Night was the only 

 bearable time, and I would it had perpetually remained 

 night. 



Not until the next night did we come on some water- 

 holes, and they were dry ! I could not persuade the 

 men to camp ; they said the place was not good, and 

 mysterious things of that kind. I found out that the 

 place was supposed to be haunted by spirits of some 

 sort, and it was no use ordering or commanding, for 

 the men would not stay to spend a night in the vicinity. 

 We had to go on. Matters were now really serious. 



N 



