VII 



TRA VELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



283 



be unable to leave her until the interesting event was 

 past. We satisfied his scruples, however, by provid- 

 ing her with a few bushels of beans. 



On June 25 w^e set out on our way to the Ren- 

 dile. All the cattle were forced to bear burdens, 

 owing to the death of so many of our donkeys ; and 

 all the men who were not bearing loads carried a 



Oryx Beisa 



well-filled water-skin. Our guide told us that we 

 should certainly reach water that night ; but the 

 appearance of the country was so arid and forbidding, 

 that it was with forebodings of disappointment that 

 we set out upon our journey. We started at six in 

 the morning, and marched steadily until noon, when 

 I halted to allow the donkeys and cattle, which were 

 advancing very slowly, to catch up with the caravan. 

 While thus waiting, two oryx beisa ran past the cara- 



