TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 305 



next shikar with every degree of safety. Such a 

 present overwhelmed our follower by its magnificence, 

 and he was almost too excited to speak, or express 

 his thanks. At first he did not realise we meant to 

 give it, and it was very pleasant indeed to watch his 

 face as the wonderful truth dawned on his mind. 



The rest of our men filed past us as we stood ready 

 to pay them by the side of the tent that had been 

 our home for so long. Every man got his bonus of 

 money, and a little present besides from the stores, 

 and we shook hands all round. I think we all felt 

 the same regret at parting. Absurd as it may 

 sound, the saying " Good-bye " to these rough 

 followers of ours was a sentimentally sad business. 



" What days and nights we'd seen, enjoyed, and 

 passed." And truly few travellers had been better 

 served. Clarence was immensely anxious to go home 

 with us, and become, I don't quite know what, in our 

 household. He spoke to me very seriously about it. 



"You welly good people," he said; "me go to 

 Englan' all same you." But England and Clarence 

 could never amalgamate, and we had to explain to 

 him we would all look forward to meeting again 

 in Berbera some day. 



Cecily gave my Waterbury to the cook — a cheap 

 way of giving a present, as I told her; but she had 

 to give him a useful mark of her appreciation, she 

 said, and her own watch was broken. I said farewell 

 to this personage more in sorrow than in anger, and 

 he went off winding his Waterbury as hard as he 

 could go. 



u 



