354 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



disappeared as usual. He then returned, and stayed the 

 night at his elephant camp, leaving next day for Kaddai. 

 On the road Wuka smelt out a prize in the shape of a little 

 bush-kitten, and Gosling adopted it at once as a pet and called 

 it " Rabeh." He brought it up on tinned milk and liver. 

 At first it was very wild and bit and scratched any one who 

 attempted to touch it, but soon Goshng was able to handle 

 it with impunity ; it would feed on his lap, and later was 

 jumping up on to his shoulders or romping with the dogs. 

 One day Rabeh stalked and seized a tame guinea-fowl as it 

 was feeding in Gosling's hut, but he was discovered and 

 removed from off the back of his quarry before anything 

 serious had happened. He throve and grew apace, and to 

 watch him at play was a picture to behold. But alas ! after 

 being the apple of his master's eye for the brief period of six 

 weeks, one night he got past his guard and escaped into the 

 bush. Poor Gosling was very much cut up at the loss and 

 searched the bush for a whole day, burning the grass, but no 

 trace of Rabeh could be found. 



While waiting at Kaddai for my return, Gosling spent the 

 days hunting or making excursions on the Lake. He tried 

 to get through the reed-belt to the South, but failed, as Talbot 

 and I had done. Meanwhile I had gone off with Jose by 

 way of Arregi and Yo to a place called Gashagar, and thence 

 to Maifoni to collect oxen for the transport of our things 

 to our next base at Fort Lamy. Also I was anxious 

 to complete my collection of the birds of Bornu, and see my 

 brother's grave again before leaving the country. We were 

 much delayed owing to difficulties in getting a sufficient 

 number of oxen, and had to stay longer than we in- 



