FROM KUKAWA TO KADDAI 309 



as we brushed through the thickets, splashing us and our 

 horses with a sticky white juice rather Hke rubber. The 

 dull-coloured green of these bushes all around and ahead, 

 never relieved by any other foliage, became very mono- 

 tonous and the effect was intensified by the grey misty 

 weather that the harmattan had again brought with it. 

 When the bush began to open out and give way to more open 

 country, we were in great hopes of getting a view of the 

 Lake, for we had come a distance of fourteen miles and by 

 now should have reached it. As a matter of fact so we had, 

 the guide informed us, but our view was shut out by belts of 

 maria, billowing in form, of a beautiful tender green and so 

 compact, that they gave rather the appearance of topiary 

 work. Here and there one saw a hole in the undulations 

 caused by elephants rolling. These animals often spend the 

 whole day in the maria belts and keep themselves cool by 

 standing in the water and squirting it over their backs ; 

 then at night they retire inland to get away from the 

 clouds of mosquitoes. The belts of maria thorn were growing 

 in a foot of water, so were actually in the Lake. 



We now had our " chop," for which we were quite ready, 

 for it was past two o'clock and we had been in the saddle 

 since seven. Moreover, we were bored by the monotony of 

 the road, and nothing I think makes one so hungry as 

 being bored. So a fowl and some sweet potatoes, cooked by 

 Lowi the night before, furnished us Asdth congenial occupa- 

 tion. 



But I must not be so ungrateful as to forget that just 

 before, some Kanembu goatherds did their best to afford us 

 a little diversion by acting as if we were Tubu robbers. 



