424 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



way to the coast after a journey of two years 

 through the country lying to the north and west 

 of Lake Rudolph. They had with them 35,000 

 pounds of ivory and 600 donkeys. George succeeded 

 in purchasing seventy-five of these donkeys at twenty- 

 five rupees each, giving in payment a draft on my 

 agent at the coast. 



This intelligence made my heart actually leap with 

 joy. There then seemed to be no difficulty lying 

 between me and the north I so longed to reach. 

 I had men, food, and donkeys sufiicient to carry 

 the food. These high hopes, however, were destined 

 soon to meet with the severest possible blow. From 

 this time Fortune hid her face from me, and our 

 luck returned to the condition which had character- 

 ized it since the outset of the expedition. 



Ever since Lieutenant von Hohnel had left for the 

 coast, I had suffered from continued attacks of fever 

 and liver trouble. The fever never caused my tem- 

 perature to rise very high, but the attacks returned 

 daily, and my liver troubles became more and more 

 frequent. I attribute this condition of my health to 

 the fact that, throughout the journey to the Rendile 

 and return, I had greatly overexerted myself, and 

 this had its effect upon the liver, which in all prob- 

 ability gave rise to the fever and high temperature. 

 Although my appetite was good, I grew thinner day 

 by day ; and I looked forward with impatience to 

 the time when George should return, and we should 

 be once more able to push into the healthier country 

 lying to the north of the Guaso Nyiro. By this time 

 our supply of goats and cattle was almost exhausted ; 



