338 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



away in its mouth. The daring of a hungry hyena 

 is proverbial ; so this adventure was not particularly 

 surprising, especially when it is borne in mind that 

 the natives of the Jombeni range leave their dead un- 

 buried, thereby increasing the temerity of the hyena 

 in the presence of man. 



Shortly after reaching the Rendile, I had received 

 from Lomoro, the chief, a present of a small, shock- 

 haired dog, of a species said to be owned in great 

 numbers by the Rendile. I left this animal with 

 George to replace the puppy stolen by the hyena. 

 This creature, however, remained steadfast to the 

 nomadic instincts imbued by the roving habits of the 

 Rendile ; and, after growing strong enough to walk, 

 one fine day took himself off, never to return. 



George had heard no rumours whatever of the run- 

 aways ; so it seemed clear to me that Mohamadi and 

 his party had made their way by the shortest route 

 to the coast ; however, he had the men who had 

 deserted from us on the second day after Lieutenant 

 von Hohnel and I had left Daitcho on our journey 

 to the Rendile. These men had voluntarily returned 

 to the camp at Daitcho, and said they were tired of 

 marching and preferred camp life. This they con- 

 sidered sufficient warranty for their desertion. 



During our stay in Daitcho, one event of some 

 little interest occurred. About two o'clock one morn- 

 ing the men on guard at one of the gates discharged 

 their rifles, and upon running out we succeeded in 

 capturing two natives. According to our pickets, 

 these two men had endeavoured to steal past them, 

 and enter the zeriba. They w^ere armed after the 



