186 THE HIGHLAND WILDERNESS [chap, vi 



and descends behind them. Then shrill, rolling cries of 

 good-humoured triumph arise from the victors ; and the 

 game instantly begins again with fresh zest. There are, 

 of course, no such rules as in a specialized ball-game of 

 civilization ; and I saw no disputes. There may be eight 

 or ten, or many more, players on each side. The ball is 

 never touched with the hands or feet, or with anything 

 except the top of the head. It is hard to decide whether 

 to wonder most at the dexterity and strength with which 

 it is hit or butted with the head, as it comes down through 

 the air, or at the reckless speed and skill with which the 

 players throw themselves headlong on the ground to 

 return the ball if it comes low down. Why they do 

 not grind oiF their noses I cannot imagine. Some of the 

 players hardly ever failed to catch and return the ball if 

 it came in their neighbourhood, and with such a 

 vigorous toss of the head that it often flew in a 

 great curve for a really astonishing distance. 



That night a pack-ox got into the tent in which 

 Kermit and I were sleeping, entering first at one end 

 and then at the other. It is extraordinary that he did 

 not waken us ; but we slept undisturbed, while the ox 

 deliberately ate our shirts, socks, and underclothes I It 

 chewed them into rags. One of my socks escaped, and 

 my undershirt, although chewed full of holes, was stiU 

 good for some weeks' wear ; but the other things were 

 in fragments. 



In the morning Colonel Rondon arranged for us to 

 have breakfast over on the benches under the trees by 

 the waterfall, whose roar, lulled to a thunderous 

 murmur, had been in our ears before we slept and 

 when we waked. There could have been no more 

 picturesque place for the breakfast of such a party as 

 ours. All travellers who really care to see what is 



