314 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



the huge pile that Dumbornu had collected into a faggot 

 refused, saying that it would break his back ; but with per- 

 suasion and pretence of help he was induced to give a heave 

 at it, when it flew up like a bundle of feathers. The same 

 joke was played on some of the others till the whole camp 

 was in roars of laughter. 



I employed the afternoon while waiting for Talbot in 

 making another incursion into the bush that Hned the Lake 

 in search of the warblers I had heard the day before. I was 

 not long in finding them and obtained some good specimens, 

 which were the first birds of my Lake Chad collection. I 

 waded out some distance in their pursuit, and once or twice 

 again came upon small pieces of open water in the form of 

 little coves that gave promise of my presently coming within 

 open view of the Lake ; but my prospect was always barred 

 by island-belts of bush beyond. These little pools were full 

 of waterfowl, and for the first time I saw herons in large 

 numbers. 



I returned to camp towards evening, to find that Talbot had 

 come in. Soon a fire was lighted and the hartebeest got into 

 a condition ready to contribute variation to the evening meal. 

 This passed as pleasantly as upon the previous evening, and 

 the maria bush cheered us with the comfort of a merry 

 blaze, but, alas ! this did not last long, for the lightness of the 

 wood made it burn extremely fast, and our supply was soon 

 exhausted. 



Next day we started early to cover the last distance that 

 would bring us to our camp at Kaddai. The journey was not 

 marked by any fresh event ; Talbot rode on ahead, in order 

 to make preparations for our arrival, while I followed slowly. 



