NATIVE TERROR OF OUR CAMERA 



107 



several hundred paces from the camp it was quite impossible 

 to make observations with the artificial horizon. To accom- 

 plish this we had to betake ourselves to a somewhat distant 

 clearing, and, by placing guards all round, to prevent even 

 single natives from passing. 



Many hours a day were occupied in making and arranging 

 collections. As the rainy season was approaching, insects and 

 butterflies were especially numerous ; so were sauria, including 

 big lizards and several kinds of chameleons. Specimens of 

 one shining brownish-black variety, about the size of an earth- 

 worm or blindworm, were caught in camp almost every day. 



The forest round about Taveta is a perfect mine of wealth 

 to the ornithologist, but it is extremely difficult to get at the 

 birds, as they avoid the close-growing lower branches of the 

 trees, which impede their flight, building their nests on the very 

 highest accessible point, beyond the range of grape-shot. And 

 if by chance one is fortunate enough to bring down a bird, 

 one may be pretty sure that it will remain hanging on some 

 branch, or fall to the ground where it cannot possibly be got at. 



We had to take photographs, too, and that under many 

 difficulties, for the appearance of the apparatus in the distance 

 was always the immediate signal for the dispersion of the 

 natives, however many happened to be gathered together at the 

 time. The only thing to be done was to set up the camera in 

 some much-frequented spot, and then to wait patiently. For a 

 long time after this place would be shunned by everyone, but 

 by degrees the dreaded object was forgotten, and it became 

 possible now and then to take off a group unawares. Mean- 

 while, however, the apparatus often got shifted, or the plates 

 had become injured by too long an exposure to the heat of the 

 sun, so that many of them were quite useless. 



The monotony of our life in camp was also relieved by 

 various incidents, such as the arrival of a messenger from Miriali, 



