XVI EN ROUTE FOR EL BOGOI 385 



tusks, and able to carry them with ease for hours at a stretch, 

 and with less fatigue than some of the porters carrying lighter 

 loads. There was no running water in the Suya now, and the 

 quantity of fresh spoor on the numerous game-tracks leading 

 to the pools showed that there was none at all away from the 

 river. At the Barasaloi plenty was still to be had, a little 

 below the surface, by digging in the sand, and that deliciously 

 cool and much better than at the last stream, no doubt because 

 this one rises in the high " subugo " forests of the Lorogi 

 Mountains. 



On nearing El Bogoi'we almost felt as if the worst of our 

 journey was over, although it is really only about half-way to 

 the coast ; but the rest of the distance to the coast was through 

 comparatively familiar ground, and even the El Bogoi camp 

 seemed quite homelike now. Before getting in, a couple of 

 Ndorobo youths belonging to Lesiat's clan overtook us as we 

 were threading our way through the bush in the early morning. 

 They had been lying in wait by one of the game-paths 

 traversing the jungle, in the hopes of getting a chance at a 

 rhinoceros, which they had noticed was in the habit of using 

 it on his way to or from the water, and had their harpoons 

 with them. Rhinoceroses are scarce here, as a consequence, 

 no doubt, of the vicinity of this community, and the chances 

 of getting one by these means must be infinitesimal ; indeed, 

 how rarely these hunters meet with success was illustrated at 

 the time by the fact that the principal item of news they had 

 to give us, in reply to our inquiries, was that one of these 

 animals had been killed during our absence (about seven 

 months), and another wounded, but lost. 



It was cheering to be greeted with friendly smiles and 

 handshakes, indicative of genuine pleasure at meeting us, by 

 these careless children of the forest. They accompanied us 

 for some distance, asking many questions about our experiences, 

 and looking with admiration at our fine show of ivory. On 

 hearing of my accident they showed much interest and concern, 



2 C 



