36 



AT NYEMPS 



whicli was rather a good thing as they carried off all the rubbish 

 which would otherwise, owing to the negligence of the negroes, 

 have poisoned the air. The vultures and marabout storks did 

 not venture within the camp at all, but waited quietly outside 

 or quarrelled amongst themselves for the bits of meat and 

 bones thrown out for them ; but the kites were a great nuisance, 

 as they swooped into our quarters by the dozen, snatching 

 away pieces of meat not intended for them and uttering their 

 shrill discordant cries, of which we soon became heartily tired. 

 On me this perpetual noisy going to and fro of birds of prey 

 had a very pernicious effect, as I could not but feel that my 

 end might be very near. 



Once a splendid eagle, attracted by our ape, who was play- 

 ing about in the tree beneath which the Count's tent was 

 pitched, swooped down and settled upon a branch without a 

 sign of shyness. Hamis, little guessing the danger he was in, 

 was for plucking out a feather or two from his visitor's wings, 

 treating him as he was in the habit of doing the fowls we 

 sometimes had in camp as playfellows for him. Count Teleki 

 at once seized a gun, and a shot brought down the would-be 

 robber. As usual, Hamis repaid the efforts on his behalf with 

 ingratitude, and the eagle was no sooner dead and deprived of 

 his beautiful long wing feathers before the ape was down 

 from his perch too, on mischievous thoughts intent. He had 

 a good look at his dead enemy, as he did at everything new 

 or strange, and then he hopped into his master's tent and 

 seized what was for the moment perhaps that master's greatest 

 treasure, his last bit of soap. The Count saw him and shouted 

 out ' Leave that alone ! ' but too late. Hamis was at the top of 

 the tree again, with the precious soap in his teeth. We caUed 

 him by all the endearing names we could think of, hoping to get 

 him away from the branch he had chosen, which overhung the 

 . brook, but all in vain. Not fancying the taste of his stolen 



