254 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



With my camera in one hand, a stick supporting the bird's 

 head in the other, and the skin over my shoulders and back, I 

 approached in a stooping attitude, trying to look as much like 

 an ostrich as possible. But though the gazelles were evidently 

 puzzled by such a curious mixture of feathers and garments, 

 and allowed me to get nearer in their surprise than would 

 ordinarily be easy, all my blandishments and ostentatiously 

 unconcerned peckings at the ground failed to persuade them to 

 let me get within less than about fifty or sixty yards. I 

 found it very hot and uncomfortable under the greasy skin ; 

 and finally, after persevering in defiance of perspiration and 

 back-ache as long as my endurance could hold out, I had to 

 abandon the attempt with no other result than a couple of 

 abortive snaps. 



I had to decide about the route to take before starting on 

 for the lake. The natives advised going round the eastern side 

 of the mountain, but I had not confidence enough in their 

 trustworthiness to rely on their guidance, and would not risk 

 marching with a loaded caravan through country unknown to 

 us without certain information about the water ahead. I there- 

 fore sent a few good men on, under Squareface, to explore as 

 far as the lake, but chose the western side of the mountain as 

 probably the best-watered, and likely to lead us more directly 

 to the shores of Rudolph. After an absence of several days 

 they returned with a favourable report, in so far as that there 

 was sufficient water, though they found the country very rugged 

 and stony. Better by far, though, to have some difficulties we 

 knew all about than to go a road none had tried and trust to 

 the doubtful guidance of unreliable savages ; ^ so I determined 

 without hesitation to follow this route. 



A day or two before leaving this camp I narrowly escaped 

 being bitten by a very venomous snake, which I nearly sat on 

 in the grass. Luckily, when on the point of doing so, some- 



1 I had learned by sad experience, in years gone by, what disastrous consequences to 

 a caravan might result from such a course. 



