HALF THE MEN 



BREAK DOWN 



121 



monotonous slopes of Mount Longendoti. There was more 

 variety on the east, where the ridge, which was apparently the 

 termination of a low plateau region, gradually approached us 

 more nearly, the valley growing narrower in j)i'oportion, to 

 be finally almost shut in by a low, many-peaked chain, the 

 Obori, which we passed when about half way through. Further 

 north this valley widened again, and was broken up by low 

 hills and ridges. Acacias and fresh green succulent bush 

 were of frequent occurrence, especially near the Obori and 

 during the second half of the march. But as a whole the 

 landscape could only be characterised as a desert, and there 

 was absolutely no grass. 



At the beginning of this march the district was fairly flat, 

 but later, as we approached the narrower portion of the valley, 

 our path led up over almost imperceptibly sloping, undulating 

 ground for quite a long distance. Crest after crest was 

 scaled, each one in the hope that we should come to a pool, or 

 at least to the dried-up bed of a brook, with some green about 

 it. But one undulation succeeded another, mid-day came, the 

 sun was at the zenith and poured down its scorching rays upon 

 our heads. It was one o'clock now, and a third of our worn- 

 out men lay stretched exhausted on the ground, here one, there 

 another. Our own cheery Hay a, twende ! ('Forwards! let's 

 press on ! ') no longer had any effect, and many loads without 

 owners lay scattered about. At last at two o'clock we began 

 to descend a gentle slope which led down to the sand-choked, 

 dried-up bed of a stream, where we caught what we took for 

 the gleam of fresh green grass. But when I reached it, it was 

 onl}^ to meet with fresh disappointment. Half the men were 

 lying about staring vacantly before them ; loads and animals 

 were in the most hopeless confusion ; donkeys and sheep 

 wandering aimlessly about, the former either without their 

 saddles or with those saddles under their bellies or round their 



