EXCITEMENT AMONGST THE MEN 



91 



But a few hours' march now separated us from the first 

 goal of our journey, the forest-girt Taveta. Often the very 

 sound of the name had acted like a magic spell upon our men, 

 filling them, weary and worn as they were, with fresh hope, 

 fresh energy. What wonder, then, that now we were so near 

 it we were all, Count Teleki and I included, intoxicated with 

 delightful anticipation ! How much we might hope for in the 

 beautiful quiet forest, into the depths of which we tried in vain 



ELANDS. 



to peer from the hill near the lake ! What peace, what rest in 

 the cool shade of this African paradise, beside murmuring 

 streams, after our long tramp across the arid stej)pes ! Till 

 quite late at night the men were carousing in honour of our 

 near approach to the much-longed-for goal, and when the 

 morning dawned there was a joyful stir in the camp such as 

 we had never seen before. Many had put on their best clothes 

 in honour of the occasion, others had washed their shirts the 

 day before. The guns were loaded to bursting with powder, 



