i64 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



destroyed by the Wamsara a few years before, had been 

 attacked in the night ; but no sign of natives could be 

 seen. The Somah spent the night in prayer and sing- 

 ing of rehgious songs, as is their custom upon the eve 

 of a dangerous enterprise. 



By five o'clock in the morning all was ready in camp, 

 and we started on the march which we hoped would 

 lead to food, but feared would in all probability be 

 attended with many difficulties and no little danger. 

 My men, to stay the pangs of hunger, one and all 

 tightened their belts around their bodies. Lieutenant 

 von Hohnel and I fortified ourselves with a cup of 

 coffee, and placed in our pockets a few handfuls of 

 corn. These handfuls of corn were the only food in 

 the caravan. 



Our order of marching was as follows : I was in the 

 front accompanied by five Soudanese, Karscho my gun- 

 bearer, my tent-boy Baraka, and Motio our guide. To 

 guard against treachery on the part of Motio, he was 

 securely bound about the waist with a rope, the end 

 of which was held by a stalwart porter, who bore in 

 his other hand a small American flag. Behind the 

 little advance guard came half of the able-bodied 

 porters, bearing on their heads loads of trading-goods 

 and trophies of the chase. Following these porters 

 (some eighteen in number) came the sick ; two were 

 carried in hammocks, and one rode a donkey. Then 

 came the donkeys which had been used to carry our 

 food while it lasted. Their empty panniers rattled 

 against their sides, and gave noisy but unassailable 

 evidence of the desperate straits to which we were 

 then reduced for supplies. Following the donkeys 



