305 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
inland seas, and the occasional height of their waves would be 
appalling; but neither this, nor the knowledge of the existence 
along the shores of hostile tribes who might, and who in fact did, 
obstruct their landing and prevent their procuring food, could 
deter the venturous explorer and his followers from carrying out 
his bold design. 
It must have been very cheering to the leader of the expedition 
to feel that, in the persons of the three Englishmen who accom- 
panied him, Frederick Barker and the brothers Pocock (whose 
knowledge of boats and skill as watermen rendered their services 
invaluable), he had with him three stout hearts and three pairs of 
strong arms which would never desert him in the hour of need ; 
and it must have been particularly trying to his feelings when, 
after many troubles shared together, many difficulties overcome, 
and many triumphs achieved, he saw one after another of them 
succumb, and die before his eyes. 
The difficulties with which he had to contend, and the dangers 
which beset his path at every step, can only be appreciated from 
a careful perusal of his book. From the day he left Zanzibar, in 
November, 1874, with an expeditionary force of three hundred and 
fifty-six souls to provide for, his route towards the interior seemed 
one continual struggle for existence. Before he had been on the 
march a month desertions had been frequent (p. 98). 
The rainy season began in earnest on December 28rd; and 
during an eight days’ march the expedition struggled through one 
continuous downpour to Zingeh, the plain of which was half 
submerged by rushing yellow streams (p. 100). At Mtiwi, on 
January 2nd, 1875, after an hours’ rainfall, six inches of water 
covered the camp, and a slow current ran southerly (p. 106). 
Fever, opthalmia, aud rheumatism supervened, but still they 
journeyed on; until in the vast bush-country, through which they 
struggled to reach Urimi, at the rate of ten miles in as many 
hours, the guide missed his way, and they were lost (p. 109). 
Recovering the right road by well-nigh a miracle, starvation 
next stared them in the face. Supplies failed, no game could be 
found, and the party were reduced to an allowance of two 
cupfuls each of oatmeal gruel. Over thirty men were ailing: 
some suffered from dysentery; others from fever, asthma, chest 
disease, and heart-sickness; lungs were weak, and rheumatism 
had its victims (p. 114). On January 18th Edward Pocock died; 
