FATAL CASS OF SMALL-POX. 961 



beautiful park-like country, with giant cactuses and euphorbias growing in 

 the thickets. Shortly before this I passed the body of a boy by the road ; he 

 had died apparently of small-pox. About four o'clock I reached Kekoko, 

 which consists of a few huts here and there, among maize and mahogo fields. 

 An Arab sent us a present of a fowl, and lent us a grass mat to use as a car- 

 pet, and told us to keep a good watch, as there were thieves about. Distance 

 from the Kingani to Kekoko five miles and three-quarters by pedometer. Hot, 

 but cloudy. A shower about three o'clock. 



" 3rd. Got up early, and began to prepare for a start, but the kilan- 

 gozi refused, saying the men wanted rest, and would desert if we attempted 

 to go on against their will ; so there was nothing for it but to wait till to- 

 morrow, as desertion is a thing to be especially avoided if possible. So, as all 

 our meat was done, Robertson and I went out to see if we could find any ante- 

 lope, or anything in the shape of meat, but we only got a few pigeons. About 

 three o'clock Mabruki came with two cooks, one of whom, to our delight, was 

 able to bake bread, for we have had none for a week ; they also brought us 

 a note from Smith and some oranges. The flowers and insects were most 

 lovely ; among the former is a handsome purple water-lily very similar to the 

 English white one, a fine crimson hibiscus, and a shrub something like a 

 myrtle, but with crimson flowers. There are quantities of palms, mimosas, and 

 ebony-trees, these last being used for firewood. There are large numbers of beau- 

 tiful butterflies. The birds too are very varied and pretty. To-day I saw four 

 large vultures, and yesterday I shot a lovely little green and yellow parrot. 



u 4:th. By daybreak the camp was astir, and at 6.30 the first of the cara- 

 van started. After going about a mile, the donkeys were in difficulties 

 again. The road lay through most lovely, open forest — clear spaces covered 

 only with high grass, alternated with clumps of large trees surrounded by 

 dense jungle, among which the path wound. The air was loaded with the 

 scent of various aromatic plants, as jessamine and syringa, of which there was 

 a species with a large white blossom. The road ascended gradually for six 

 miles, till we were two hundred feet above the Kekoko. At this point we got 

 the first approach to a distant view we have yet had, and on all sides was the 

 same interminable forest, reaching even to the tops of some blue hills before 

 us, distant some thirty miles. The path then descended into a grassy valley, 

 where we encamped, having gone seven miles by my. pedometer. There was 

 no village near, and nothing, consequently, to be bought ; and as our stock of 

 meat consisted of two or three pigeons, Robertson and I took our rifles and went 

 out to look for antelopes, which were said to be near ; but after a weary tramp of 

 some miles, we returned without having seen anything. We got some tama- 

 rinds here, which were a great boon, as we made a most refreshing drink 

 from the acid pulp which surrounds the seeds, mixed with sugar and water. 



After dinner we went to bed thoroughly tired, 

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