106 ALONG LAKE RUDOLF 



understand how such 'a number of animals could have fallen in 

 one place, for the natural position in which the skeletons lay 

 proved that they had not been carried here, but had lain as 

 they fell.^ 



During this march recent volcanic formations were ex- 

 changed for those of earlier origin. We hailed this discovery 

 with delight, as it led us to hope we might presently get into 

 a less unsatisfactory neighbourhood. Isolated knotty bushes 

 were of more frequent occurrence as we neared Mount Kulall, 

 and the anxiety about the fate of our caravan, which had so 

 sorely oppressed us, was considerably relieved. The scenery, 

 too, now became enlivened by the presence of vultures, kites, 

 and coal-black ravens, the last-named filling the air with their 

 hideous croaking and settling without any sign of fear upon 

 the backs of our oxen and sheep. This was the first time we 

 had seen the perfectly black variety of the raven. We saw no 

 big game except a single specimen of the gazelle Grantii, until 

 we reached at mid-day a little streamlet which issued from 

 the base of a perpendicular wall of rock. The Count here 

 surprised a small herd of zebras and Beisa antelopes under the 

 shade of some bushes, and, with Hve shots fired in rapid 

 succession, he brought down five animals, one antelope and 

 four zebras, one of the latter of the Grevyi variety. 



This unexpected stroke of luck, combined with the finding 

 of a shady sheltered camping-place near clear fresh water, 

 where we could once more put up our tents, cheered us all 

 immensely. We concluded that there must be many such 

 streams issuing from the base of Mount Kulall, and game would 

 therefore not be wanting, so, as Lembasso thought it very 



^ Later we questioned the Turkana who had taken part in the raid about this, 

 but even then we did not get a fully satisfactory answer, for thej' only said, ' It was 

 night, and the Randile whom they had robbed were following them, and as they 

 could not get away with their booty, they had killed the camels with their spears.' 



