CHAP. XII LAKE RUDOLPH 265 



These are the true El Molo. They are far from numerous, 

 and always live on the little islands not far from the shore 

 which occur here and there in this part of the lake. A harm- 

 less timid people, subsisting solely on fish, which they catch 

 with nets in the shallow bays, with the rare addition of a 

 hippopotamus once in a way, their lives are purely aquatic. I 

 was able to communicate with them through my interpreter, as 

 one of them knew something of the Ndorobo dialect, though their 

 own language is totally distinct ; but I could get no information 

 out of them about the country or elephants, as they said they 

 live in the water and only land to procure firewood. Even 

 then, they declared, they never go beyond the shore ; a state- 

 ment which I believe to be true. Their canoes are constructed 

 each of several small logs, fastened together side by side ; no 

 trees are to be had with trunks large enough to make the 

 usual type of dug-out canoes. After bartering to their satis- 

 faction, our friends (the first natives we had seen since leaving 

 Nyiro) became reassured and visited our camp. 



A hippo was seen grazing on the bank by one of the porters 

 who had wandered along the shores on fishing intent, but it 

 had disappeared by the time he had called me ; and the few 

 gazelles I saw were very wild, as, strange to say, all game 

 seemed here. During the night, which was very hot, some 

 noisy birds (storks, I fancy) were holding a great " shauri," with 

 much loud altercation and unseemly commotion, in the water 

 close to our camp ; the uproar combined with the heat banish- 

 ing sleep. 



After a few more outlying lava ridges — the farthest out- 

 i:)osts of the volcanic formation — the country assumed a more 

 uniformly level aspect, with a sandy soil, and travelling became 

 easy ; though since we had got beyond the influence of the 

 gales, which seem to be generated by Nyiro and Kulale, the 

 heat had become very great, both day and night. Our routine 

 of marching could now be evenly regulated in convenient stages. 

 Calling the donkey-men and my boys at 4 A.M, (my cook never 



