II 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



63 



I had taken with me, for the purpose of crossing 

 rivers, a canvas Berthon boat, capable of holding six 

 men. On the following day I put this boat together, 

 and crossed to the other bank, which I found to be,' 

 in this neighbourhood at least, fairly open desert, and 

 consequently good for marching. We returned about 

 luncheon time, and, in the hope of discovering a road 

 on the bank upon which we were encamped. Lieu- 

 tenant von Hohnel and myself, with ten men armed 

 with knives, attempted to cut our way to Malkakofira, 

 which we were convinced must be in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. At the end of five hours' hard work 

 we had proceeded less than half a mile. The growth 

 through which we cut the path was the most tangled 

 jungle imaginable, and armed at every point with 

 sharp thorns. Added to this, there were innumerable 

 red ants, called by the natives " boiling water " ; and 

 the designation is just and appropriate. Before we had 

 been in the bush fifteen minutes, we one and all w^ere 

 covered with them, and bitten from head to foot. It 

 was dark before we gave up the attempt to cut the 

 road, and started to wend our way towards camp. 

 To add to our misery, rain began to fall ; so we 

 took shelter under a large tree in an opening in 

 the bush. We fired guns, hoping our men could 

 hear us, and would send out guides. We rejoiced to 

 hear them answer, and about eleven o'clock at night 

 we were again in our tents, thoroughly worn out. 



The following day Lieutenant von Hohnel and I 

 took forty-five men, crossed the river, and followed it 

 for four hours, when thick bush again forced us to 

 make a detour. We made camp, and sent men to the 



