Across Nhambiquara Land 215 



the first expeditions into this country all the baggage- 

 animals had died ; and even In our case the loss was be- 

 coming very heavy. This state of aflfairs is due to the 

 scarcity of forage and the type of country. Good grass 

 is scanty, and the endless leagues of sparse, scrubby 

 forest render it exceedingly difficult to find the animals 

 when they wander. They must be turned absolutely 

 loose to roam about and pick up their scanty subsistence, 

 and must be given as long a time as possible to feed and 

 rest; even under these conditions most of them grow 

 weak when, as in our case, it is impossible to carry com. 

 They cannot be found again until after daylight, and then 

 hours must be spent in gathering them ; and this means 

 that the march must be made chiefly during the heat 

 of the .day, the most trying time. Often some of the ani- 

 mals would not be brought in until so late that it was well 

 on in the forenoon, perhaps midday, before the bulk of 

 the pack-train started; and they reached the camping- 

 place as often after nightful as before it. Under such 

 conditions many of the mules and oxen grew constantly 

 weaker and ultimately gave out ; and it was imperative to 

 load them as lightly as possible, and discard all luxuries, 

 especially heavy or bulky luxuries. Travelling through a 

 wild country where there is little food for man or beast 

 is beset with difficulties almost inconceivable to the man 

 who does not himself know this kind of wilderness, and 

 especially to the man who only knows the ease of civiliza- 

 tion. A scientific party of some size, with the equipment 

 necessary in order to do scientific work, can only go at 

 all if the men who actually handle the problems of food 

 and transportation do their work thoroughly. 



