LAKE RUDOLPH 273 



the better route, in spite of tlie rough hills and stony going. 

 So altogether I seemed to have been most happy in my choice. 

 Saying good-bye to our trader visitors bound for Mombasa, 

 we resumed our march next morning, our newly-acquired guide 

 trudging importantly ahead. We cut across a cape, but came 

 down to another bay beyond, the last point of Bassu we should 

 touch before striking inland for a spell. For here a range of 

 rough stony hills juts out into the lake, so that not only is it 

 a great saving in distance to leave it to the left, but if the 

 shore were followed at this part progress would be most 

 difficult. Game-tracks were becoming more numerous as we 

 proceeded, the grass making a better pretence of covering the 

 now sandy soil, and that night I heard lions roaring, a sure 

 indication that game is not scarce. I also noticed a good many 

 rhino spoors. I was most anxious to meet with rhinos here, as 

 Von Hohnel (whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Mombasa, 

 and who had most kindly given me much valuable information 

 about the country) had told me that those found on the 

 eastern side of Lake Rudolph were possibly a distinct species. 



From this point we traversed a wide flat valle}- between 

 two parallel ranges of hills, the one bordering the lake, the 

 other inland ; the valley — cut up by denudation of the friable 

 soil into many little ridges and gullies — -made rather tiresome 

 going. Water was scarce, the sun burning hot, and the 

 marches long and trying, and I sighed for our dear old lake ; — a 

 good friend had it been to us. Never had we had any worr)' 

 about water or the distance to camp since we had struck it. 

 Now, no sooner did we leave its shores than our trouble 

 began : anxiety as to whether there would be enough for all, 

 the tedious process of watering the donkeys out of buckets, 

 scooping up the reluctant fluid by cupfuls out of holes in the 

 gravel (myself standing in the stifling heat of the river-bed, 

 exposed to a burning sun, to see that each one got its turn), 

 stinted allowance for washing, and all the inconveniences of a 

 short supply. 



T 



