XIV ON SAFARI 169 



exertion in the fresli air tlie food is eaten witli fun and 

 often witli relish. 



In due course a survey is made of the camji to see 

 that the iires are blazing briglitly and that there is a 

 sufficient supply of wood ; the askari conies on duty 

 armed with his ritle : the openings of the tents are 

 fastened, and, tired witli the day's exertions, all sleep 

 soundly in spite of the screeching of hyasnas, the 

 occasional grunting of a hungry liou, or the regular 

 snoring of a companion deep in sleep in an adjacent 

 tent. 



We had some interesting days whilst on safari, and in 

 order to give the reader some idea how the time was 

 spent a typical day will be described. For the first few 

 days everything seemed wild and strange, but we did our 

 best to be contented with the new situation. AVe 

 started at Molo with the hope of obtaining a l^uff'alo 

 and then moved down to Njaro and finally reached Lake 

 Nakuru. 



As soon as the sun bee'an to " decorate the niornino- 

 sky," which is the picturesque Masai phrase for the 

 dawn, the tents were opened, and we Ijathed, shaved, 

 dressed, and had breakfast. One eveniup' we were oblio-ed 

 to camp at a place where there was no water : when my 

 servant awoke me in the morning, he informed me that 

 the getting up would be a very simple affair, for there 

 would be no bathing, washing, or shaving. 



As soon as In-eakfast was over, we mounted our mules 

 and went off with the hunter, tracker, gunl^earer, and 

 boys. ^Ye had rifles, shot guns, and field glasses. Our 

 most delightful hunting ground was the neighbourhood 

 of Lake Nakuru. We made our way carefully through 

 long grass to the north-west corner of the lake and 

 descended the steep and precipitous rocks which exist 

 on this si<le to the lake shore. Amono' these rocks 

 we found the graceful Eeedd;)uck and succeededu in 

 obtaining some excellent specimens. On reaching the 

 edge of the water we made our way to the northern 



