X EXCURSIONS FROM EL BOGOI 225 



shot another gazelle. Had I known, I might have got an 

 oryx, as there were two close by, but I did not see them till I 

 had shot the other buck, and they had got well away. I found 

 my men all as cheerful as possible and looking very fit. They 

 were quite contented to go again to Mthara, as they got good 

 living there, but seemed to be looking forward eagerly to the 

 onward move towards the lake, which they were as keen as I 

 was to visit. Abdulla's new donkeys were fine strong ones, in 

 good condition, and would be a great help on our journey to 

 the north. My other donkeys had also improved with their 

 rest here. 



I was altogether very pleased with the way Abdulla had 

 done his duty on this trip, and told him so ; for he had carried 

 out my wishes most zealously and faithfully. He was a head- 

 man after my own heart. I arranged everything for him to 

 start again the following day, and told him to be back, if 

 possible, in twenty days, by which time I meant to be quite 

 ready to make a final start for Reshiat. Though anxious to 

 go on, I was glad to get a little more time here first, as I 

 particularly wanted to go over the Lorogi Mountains, under 

 which I had done so much hunting ; it was as well, too, to 

 secure an abundant supply of food before plunging into the 

 desert ahead, for there is nothing like having an ample provision 

 for the future. In the meantime, I hoped to get a little more 

 ivory. 



The porters had come to me in the afternoon and asked 

 me to give them another day to rest here, to which I willingly 

 assented ; so I went out the next morning to try and get some 

 meat, but saw not a living thing. Baithai, who had made his 

 camp not far from mine again, came and said he had sent men 

 to prospect the " subugo " (that is, the forest on the mountains) 

 far and wide for elephants ; he also told me that Lesiat had 

 come back with his clan, and was encamped under the range 

 near one of my old hunting-camps, whence I had shot several 

 elephants last year. But what sounded less hopeful was the 



Q 



