XIII A SOJOURN AT RESHIAT AND KERE 295 



though they keep on planting crop after crop as each is reaped, 

 not only have they none to spare for sale, but they are them- 

 selves often in straits for food ; for the area under cultivation 

 is so small that the produce of one crop is finished long before 

 the next is fit to eat. The inhabitants of Bumi belong to a 

 totally different tribe from those of Reshiat, and speak a 

 different language. Their tribal name is El Gume (akin to the 

 Suk), and they are, I gathered, immigrants from west of Bassu. 

 They own little live stock — a few goats only — but snare game, 

 while their next-door neighbours of Reshiat have no skill in 

 hunting or trapping in any shape or form. The latter are 

 mainly pastoral by nature, though now their cattle are but few ; 

 and, like all pastoral tribes, they are a good-looking, well set-up 

 race, both men and women mostly very tall though of slender 

 build. The El Gume are far inferior in these respects. 



I camped near one of their kraals a little distance back 

 from the lake, where I had found a small tree with creepers 

 over it to give me a little shade. The heat here is tremendous, 

 as great as on the coast, and it is generally rather a relief 

 when the fiery sun disappears ; but no sooner was it down 

 than the air became thick with mosquitoes, simply in millions, 

 and I had to finish my dinner in great discomfort. I had a 

 smoky fire lighted just behind my tent, so that the wind blew 

 the smoke in ; this helped a little, and, though half choked, I 

 managed thus to hold friendly converse with the owners of the 

 kraal. But I was soon glad to take refuge under my mosquito- 

 net ; and, in spite of a few of these assiduous insects that 

 found their way in with me, should have slept tolerably well 

 had it not been for the row the poor men were making all 

 night, who could get no rest, and spent most of the time walk- 

 ing about flapping themselves with cloths. 



As soon as light enough to see, I started to hunt the 

 elephants we had passed on our way here the day before. We 

 soon found fresh spoor ; then warm dung ; then heard a great 

 splashing and saw one in the water, and, just after, sighted the 



