236 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



the graceful creature sailed away, the baby trotting 

 beside. My eyes were full of tears, and I had a lump 

 in my throat. 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful. 

 To think that in all the jungle a mother could find 

 her way to the lost best beloved with nothing to guide 

 her, nothing to tell her. Clarence took it all most 

 naturally, and said all female things are like that. I 

 do almost believe him ! 



The sun sailed high in a sky of molten brass, the 

 hot sand blistered the palm set down on it, not a 

 breath of air was stirring. And I, foolish wight, was 

 stalking, on hands and knees, a hartebeest. A family 

 of ants had crawled up my sleeve. I went too near 

 their palace, I suppose, and they mistook the way. 

 A yellow snake, small, wicked-looking, and alert, lay 

 right in my path. Not for a hundred hartebeest would 

 I disturb him ! I made a great detour, to the wonder- 

 ment of Clarence, who trailed along in my wake. When 

 he saw he wondered no longer. He has learned now, 

 and thinks snakes are a sort of mania of mine, and 

 that I must be humoured. Great bluebottle flies 

 jumped up in our faces from the red-hot sand, then — 

 buzz — and down again. Oh, for some shade — some 

 air — some water ! There was my hartebeest again, 

 with well-groomed coat and flicking tail. The flies 

 were a worry to him too. Now he gets beyond a 

 bunch of aoul — his sentinels. I shall never get within 

 range. I lay my rifle down, myself with it. I can't 



