CHAP. XV RETURN TO LAKE RUDOLPH 345 



depot might be made and whence help could be sent for to 

 the coast, or some such scheme. Although, unfortunately, no 

 such satisfactory difficulties had to be met, I was anxious at 

 least to take as much as my little party was capable of; that 

 is, to have no men " empty hands " (as it is called) nor carrying 

 anything that was not necessary. What I am driving at is, 

 that in order to render my caravan as usefully laden as possible, 

 it would be necessary to procure several more loads of ivory. 

 This deficiency I determined to make an effort to supply. 



Lekvvari's yarns had not been without their effect upon me, 

 exaggerated though I knew they must be ; and I was keen to 

 see for myself how much substance there might be to warrant 

 his highly-coloured pictures of phenomenal tuskers. It had 

 been a great source of satisfaction to me that I had obtained 

 two or three very fine tusks (well over 100 lbs.) before the 

 mishap stopped my hunting ; for I had sold all the ivory shot 

 during my previous trip, in the confident expectation of getting 

 even better on this expedition, and it would have been a 

 grievous disappointment to have had to return to the coast 

 without a single really fine tusk to keep as a trophy. But 

 although such an ignominious failure was already obviated, I 

 entertained a lingering hope that I might even yet acquire 

 still finer specimens. 



It was a bad augury for the truth of Lekwari's enticing 

 tales of marvellous elephants just beyond Reshiat, that in 

 passing the last kraals, only two hours after starting, he gave 

 us the slip and we never saw him again. Two other guides, 

 whom we procured there, were equally disappointing ; for, 

 having accompanied us a little farther and taken us somewhat 

 out of our direct course, they failed either to show us any fresh 

 tracks or to give us any information as to the game we were 

 in search of The fact is, these people arc no hunters : being 

 unable to kill game themselves, they take little interest in, and 

 are little or no use in its pursuit, though they arc ready enough 

 to eat it when killed. I therefore allowed these two to Gfo 



