VII SECOND EXPEDITION i6i 



and trading parties, which strikes direct for the northern ex- 

 tremity of the Jambeni range and so down to the Gwaso Nyiro 

 River, avoiding the detour by Laiju, and we tried to follow it. 

 It leaves the other at one of the rivers already mentioned. On 

 coming down towards this stream, I saw a giraffe, actually in 

 our camping-ground on the other side ; but it made off before 

 I could get within shot. Barring a few waterbuck, one sees 

 little game about here — the bush is too thick, — though there 

 are plenty of rhinos, and occasionally elephant spoor may be 

 seen. Our attempt to follow the new route was a failure, and 

 lost us a day. The path had not been used for a long time, 

 and, except where now and again a cut twig showed that 

 human beings had passed at some former time, was indis- 

 tinguishable from the game-tracks. Eventually we lost it, and 

 had to retrace our steps. This was annoying, particularly as 

 " fly " is very numerous here, so that for the sake of my animals 

 I was anxious to get through as quickly as possible. But the 

 great thing is to bear all mishaps philosophically in Africa ; so 

 I made the best of it and had to go via Laiju a^ain. The 

 latter is a very disagreeable route ; for, though the bush gets 

 thinner as the hills are approached, the grass becomes very 

 rank and troublesome to get through. I couldn't help thinking 

 what marvellous ingenuity seems to have been employed in 

 devising all manner of disagreeable products, in endless variety, 

 apparently designed for the express purpose of making one 

 uncomfortable. Burrs and spiky seeds, of the most wonder- 

 fully insidious kinds, some like small bristles with tiny barbed 

 arrow-heads, warranted to penetrate through anything ; ticks 

 and all kinds of abominations, not to mention the grass itself, 

 which is covered with irritating rasping hair. " Truly," I wrote 

 in my diary, " this country is prolific in means of torturing the 

 traveller." 



However, I will not weary my kind reader with more details 

 of these uninteresting marches. The number of my donkeys 

 was reduced somewhat, as one by one they succumbed to the 



M 



