THE NDOROBO COUNTRY 



the roughness of the ground on which I slept. We went a 

 long tramp through thick bush, but found no fresh spoor, 

 so in the afternoon I worked round to some open country 

 in search of other game for meat. /\fter being disappointed 

 of getting a shot at a single giraffe which passed near 

 me on the way there, I was successful on reaching the open, 

 killing two oryx with as many shots, and an impala and a 

 gazelle a little beyond with three more. I gave one oryx to 

 my Ndorobo guides, and sent for my men to bring all my 

 things to some small rock pools I knew of nearer at hand than 

 our last night's camp, and to come on to carry the meat there. 

 In the meantime heavy rain with thunder came on, lasting 

 an hour and a half, making things very uncomfortable and 

 soaking us thoroughly. At last we got back to the water at 

 dusk, very wet, tired, and empty, to find my wretched cook and 

 boy standing shivering under the dripping bushes, waiting for 

 matches, but never having thought to collect firewood or do 

 anything towards making things ready. Of course no one had 

 thought of turning a bucket upside down over our sack of meal 

 to keep it dry. I was not long in packing them off to hunt up 

 firewood, while I set to work to chop out some dry wood from 

 the inside of the biggest sticks I could find and split it up into 

 thin slips and shavings with my knife, and soon started a fire 

 which by and by burned up to be the comfort of the whole 

 camp and to roast every one's meat. Then I had to see meat 

 divided, clean my rifles, which were very wet (work I always do 

 myself), and have my hot sponge-down ; so that it was eleven 

 o'clock before I got any dinner, and fully midnight by the 

 time I got to bed. But in hunting one must take things as 

 they come, one day with another. Fortunately the rain ceased 

 by sundown, and I was comfortable enough in the end, in spite 

 of adverse circumstances, and slept well till morning. It had 

 been a hard day's work, but I was in good hard condition and 

 robust health and thought nothing of it. Had I waited for 

 my Swahili servants to make the fire, though, I might have 



