56 



THE DISCOVEEY OF LAKE EUDOLF 



the marcli comfortably. Just before we reached this valley 

 our three guides, who were in advance of the main body, were 

 threatened by some Wandorobbo, who however made off as 

 soon as they saw the rest of the caravan, but the incident 

 was suggestive of the true character of this apparently timid 

 and non-aggressive tribe. 



For a little distance the next day our way led through the 

 same valley, with its fresh green grass and luxuriant vegetation ; 

 but to our regret we soon had to leave it to climb up a steep, 

 stony mountain slope, with here and there a few isolated and 

 almost leafless acacias, soon, however, to go down again into a 

 rocky brook channel, now dried up but for a few pools of 

 muddy water. The ravine opened into a broad valley, where 

 the water of this brook sometimes forms a swamp. We 

 had to halt here, though there was scarcely room to put up 

 the tent, as there was no other water within reach. This 

 neighbourhood, as well as that passed through the day 

 before, was quite uninhabited, and bore the name of the 

 Lare lol borngnishu, or the ' Spring of the white oxen,' 

 which was very suggestive of the sign of some country inn in 

 Europe. 



During the preceding da^^s' marches, especially in the even- 

 ing, we had suffered terribly from the violence of the wind. 

 The mornings were quite still ; but^ as the day wore on, a dry 

 wind swept down on the plain from the highlands, gathering 

 ever increasing force, until towards sundown we were compelled 

 to take refuge in our tents, where we were still not free from 

 the effects of what can only be characterised as a hurricane. 

 We slept with our heads wrapped up in clothes, hardly able to 

 breathe, and woke up completely buried in sand and dust. 

 The instruments and weapons were injured or completely spoilt, 

 and we could enjoy nothing we ate for the grit mixed with it. 

 All this was fortunately at an end when we reached the Lare 



