332 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



place where I intended to camp early on the morning of the 8th. 

 The bulk of the caravan was still to remain at the Kere camp. 



At first I felt so much better that I was able to walk 

 slowly without assistance, and even managed to shoot a few 

 doves with my rook rifle, a performance of which I felt 

 immensely proud. I then, presuming on my strength, 

 attempted a more ambitious task, and early one morning, 

 attended by the faithful Juma carrying the .303, managed to 

 get within long range of a topi, and even succeeded, at the 

 second shot, in killing it, much to my delight. But the 

 exertion was too much for me, and I had a relapse. I was 

 living in my tent again here, with only the indifferent shade 

 afforded by a small tree from the scorching sun. Worse fever 

 than ever ensued, accompanied by violent dysentery, throwing 

 me back another whole month. But by about the end of the 

 second from the accident, I was again well on the road to 

 recovery. By this time I had got a good airy hut built for 

 my$elf on the highest part of the rise, with other little buildings 

 near ; one for my cook, another to use as a bathroom, and a 

 shed for the stores, which were to be gradually moved from 

 Kere. 



I called this " convalescent camp," for here I steadily 

 progressed without any further serious relapse ; and I was 

 really very comfortable in it in spite of some drawbacks, 

 notably mosquitoes and other insect pests. During the hours 

 of daylight the flies gave one no peace, and no sooner did it 

 get dark than mosquitoes put in an appearance, except when 

 there happened to be a stiff breeze blowing, though this had an 

 unfortunate knack of generally going down with the sun ; then 

 if I ventured to have a light on my dinner-table, the food soon 

 became filled with minute flies and little round yellow beetles. 

 All these insects were bred in the swampy margin of the lake. 

 The land was poor in insect life, owing to the dearth of flowers ; 

 there were very few butterflies, and those only of the commonest 

 kinds, and not a bee to be seen. As a consequence of the 



